NCDOT Division Engineer Sterling Baker Turns 50
By Sandy Semans Ross | Outer Banks Voice on April 26, 2022
A makeshift memorial for Sterling Baker erected in his parking space. (NCDOT)
North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) Division 1 engineer Sterling Baker died April 20 at the Vidant Inpatient Hospice in Greenville.
Despite battling cancer for several years, Baker, 50, continued to attend meetings, answer calls and mind business until his passing. He was a familiar face on the Outer Banks as he oversaw planning for the NC 12, Alligator River Bridge and Mid-Currituck Bridge projects.
NCDOT Secretary Eric Boyette sent the following to DOT staff and board members.
“Sterling exemplified public service in North Carolina, serving in various roles at NCDOT for 26 years.
“He started as an associate engineer in June 1996 and served Division 1 in a variety of roles, including division design and construction engineer, district engineer and division maintenance engineer. In 2015, he worked for the Chief’s Office as a Multimodal and Special Projects Engineer and Director of Facilities Management. He returned to Division 1 in 2019 as Assistant Division Engineer before becoming Division 1 Engineer in May 2020.
“In every role he has held at NCDOT, Sterling has brought positive change. He will be remembered for his calm and straightforward demeanor, common sense and lively sense of humor.
Born in Hertford County, Baker graduated from John A. Holmes High School in Edenton and later North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.
He was a member of the Baptist Church of Macedonia and the Chowan County chapter of Ducks Unlimited, and an avid collector of comic books and Lego building systems.
