Obituary of John R. Stirling

John R. Stirling passed peacefully into the presence of His Savior on Sunday, June 19th. He was 92 years old, and a Woburn resident for 62 years. John was born in Somerville, MA to Henry and Agnes (Roxburgh) Stirling who emigrated from Scotland. At the age of 5, John started taking piano lessons from a neighbor in Somerville, Grace Thorndale, and later with Grace Buckman until he graduated from Somerville High School in 1942. At Tremont Temple in Boston when was John was 10 yrs old, he understood he could not earn his salvation and had a clear understanding of the gospel that Jesus Christ died for his sins, and asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior. In his early teens, his father asked him to play a pump organ for church services at Union Chapel in Somerville, when his aunt could no longer play. He quickly learned the instrument with no organ lessons, taking lessons later in high school. At the age of 16, John started teaching piano. In 1939 he played for the first Youth for Christ Rally on Boston Common in 1939, under John Huffman, which continued at Park Street Church with John Debrine for a rally. John continued playing for Youth for Christ rallies and later for John DeBrine’s Youth Time at Tremont Temple. In the 1940’s and 50’s John was the organist for the radio program New England Fellowship (later called New England Fellowship of Evangelicals) driving to the radio studio before his job at John Hancock for a live broadcast. In the summers he also played during his vacations at Rumney Bible Conference in Rumney, New Hampshire. John played for area churches for about 75 yrs. and was the Minister of Music as organist and choir director for several decades at The Church of the Open Bible in Burlington (formerly Scandinavian Evangelical Free Church on Montvale Ave in Woburn) and later at Fellowship Bible Church, also in Burlington, where he was active on various boards and committees including Missions, Flower Committee, and Senior Dinners. He had a heart for Missions, and provided housing and fellowship for visiting missionaries. Over his lifetime he taught organ and piano to hundreds of children and adults, and played for scores of weddings and funerals, at churches and funeral homes. When asked to play the organ for a Billy Graham Crusade, his Christian character shown bright when he reluctantly refused because he had a prior commitment to play for the Fishermen Quartet in Rhode Island. John was known for his work with the Fishermen Quartet and they performed all over New England. The makeup of the quartet changed over time, but included Jack Steele, Tom Lusk, Ernie Wickman, Dave McKee, Steve McKaughan, Eddie Blaine and Bob Harris. John and Bob Harris were a team ministering in churches and for Christian events and organizations such as Rumney Bible Conference for over 50 years. In later years John volunteered to play an hour concert twice a week at the Gables in Winchester, as well as at a nursing home in Burlington. John originally planned on going to college, but when WWll broke out he assumed he would be drafted, so he took a temporary job at John Hancock Life Insurance Co., in the Hancock Tower in Boston. Unable to pass the physical for the service, John continued at John Hancock for 43 years where he progressed to the position of Group Life Claims Executive. He was married to his beloved wife, the late Sylvia D. Stirling for 54 years and cared for her faithfully for 5 years after she suffered a major stroke. John, Sylvia, and their young son Jonathan moved to Woburn in 1954 when the Stirlings purchased a home on the west side. The Stirlings (and later Jonathan’s family) loved vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard each summer. On “The Vineyard” in celebration of his 90th birthday and 5th wedding anniversary to his second wife, Barbara, John boarded a Tall Ship out of Vineyard Haven for a 3 hr. tour in some rough waters. John enjoyed dining out on the Vineyard and in and around Woburn. He was also known for being a dapper dresser, and loved his shiny cars. John is predeceased by his siblings, Robert, Mary, Henry and his wife Janet, and Allan and his wife Ruth. He is survived by his best friend and dearly loved wife, Barbara (Woodbridge) Stirling, by his son Jonathan D Stirling and his wife Dale Stirling of Woburn, and by his grandchildren Heather Stirling and Eric Stirling of Woburn. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service will be held at the Church of the Open Bible on Saturday, June 25 at 1 p.m. Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend. In lieu of flowers memorials in John’s name may be made to the Church of the Open Bible, 3 Winn St., Burlington, MA 01803 or Children’s Haven, PO Box 152 Douglas, MA 01516. Arrangements under the direction of the Edward V Sullivan Funeral Home, BURLINGTON.