03.07.2004

SC&RA vice president dies in accident

Verikal.Net regrets to report the untimely death of William L Sterett Junior, (57) president of Sterett Crane and Rigging of Owensboro, Kentucky.

“Bill Jr” was at the helm of a friend’s boat in a race on the Ohio River when the boat hit a patch of rough water and broke up. Sterett was pulled form the wreck and taken to Owensboro Medical Health System hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Sterett was active in the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) and had served as assistant treasurer, in April he was appointed as vice president and was due to take over as President of the association in 2005.

William L Sterett served in Vietnam and then in the 1970’s he joined the firm that his father "Bill senior" had founded in 1949. "Bill Jr" was a keen race participant from an early stage, having won the local soapbox derby and participated in a national soapbox race in 1958.

He went on to race Go Karts and then hydroplanes, setting a number of course records in 1971 and then going on to win the presidents cup in Washington DC in 1972, the trophy was presented to him by President Nixon.