Sterling Ray Deitrick

Sterling Ray Deitrick 54, of Filer, passed away Tuesday February 18, 2025, due to an automobile accident.

Sterling was born January 18, 1971, in Driggs, Idaho. He spent his childhood in Filer, Idaho, where he attended the Filer Schools and graduated in 1989. As a child, he played little league baseball and was a member of the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Sterling loved to fish and hunt with his dad and uncles and they loved taking him, especially duck hunting. Sterling could somehow always tell when the ducks were headed their way, well before the men could.

As a teenager, Sterling loved music. Loud music. He and a friend built a stereo system for his lowered Chevy S-10 and terrorized the neighborhood, Filer, and most of Twin Falls County.

Sterling loved wrestling and made it to the state championship in the heavyweight division. Unfortunately, he tore his knee during his final match, an injury that haunted him throughout his life.

In 1991, Sterling met someone that matched his wit, his sarcasm and his sense of humor. Kristi saw right through his “tough guy” exterior and soon they became the best of friends and married in 1992. They loved their animals and enjoyed endless camping and ATV trips with friends, but mostly just enjoyed being together. It wasn’t often you saw one without the other. While Sterling and Kristi were never able to have children of their own, they loved all the children around them, especially their nieces and nephews, some by blood and some by friendships. He always said that the best part of having all the kids around was being able to spoil them and send them home.

In 2007, they were blessed with the title of Godparents to Sarah Noel, and it was the best gift they could have been given. Sarah and their niece Mazzy are very close in age so, from the beginning, the two of them became great friends and were simply part of Sterling and Kristi’s lives, some people even asked if they were his daughters because his Facebook always had pictures of the girls. Sterling always referred to them as “my girls”. He was so proud to be part of helping them both grow to the beautiful young ladies that they are today.

Sterling had a passion for firearms. He loved to research and talk about guns and people often seemed surprised by his knowledge especially when talking about the latest models. Sterling loved the outdoors. His happy place was to go hunting and fishing with his childhood best friend, Phil, who, within the last few years had talked him in to ice fishing. Once he got passed the ice snapping and popping, he really enjoyed it. He and Phil were two peas in a pod. They laughed at each other’s dumb jokes, told the same stories over and over and they would laugh like it was the first time they had ever heard it.

Sterling worked at Rangens in Buhl for over 20 years. He started by making and delivering animal feed and quickly moved into the office where he took care of all the customers. He then moved into their Logistics department as a Broker until 2014 when he moved to Giltner Milk in Jerome as a Broker. In 2023, Sterling became the Safety Director at Giltner Milk. At first, he wasn’t sure about the new position because he was out of his comfort zone but quickly, it was evident he was the right man for the job. He truly enjoyed his work family and always talked about what wonderful people he worked for.

Sterling is survived by his wife, Kristi Deitrick; his parents, Gary & Bonnie Deitrick; brother, Shawn (Rhonda) Deitrick; sister, Crystal (Reese) Edler; all of Filer; God daughter Sarah Gee; nieces and nephews, Brock, Brent, Jessy, Mike, Mazzy, Ryder, Elizabeth, VeRena, Christa, Emily E., Kristopher, Kaitlyn, Emily H.; several great nieces and nephews as well as another great nephew on the way.

He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Angel and Judy Laucirica; his nephew Daniel Edler, his cousin Michael Reichlein; his uncle Harry Nash; aunt, Brenda Preston; uncle, Larry Deitrick; and uncle Mike Reichlein.

Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Filer Stake Center, 840 West Midway in Filer, Idaho.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Sterling’s memorial webpage at www.farmerfuneralchapel.com.