Esteban Sierra E. Corbet ’84

Esteban died of dengue-related septicemia May 25, 2001, in Manati, PR. He was 39. He was raised in Caguas, PR, where he prepared for Princeton at Colegio de Notre Dame. Esteban started as an '83, but took a year off to pursue one of his lifetime loves: teaching.

Esteban earned his PhD in biochemistry at SUNY Stonybrook in 1990. He and Citlali A. Bacmeister '84 were married that year. Next, he pursued two postdoctoral degrees, both in cancer research. The first was at the U. of Minnesota. The second began at Medical College of Va. and finished at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he then became an instructor. He was well respected as a scientist and liked by his peers.

In 1998 Esteban left academia to work in industry as a technical support scientist at Abbott Labs in his native Puerto Rico. Despite his tight schedule, he taught an occasional science class to local elementary school children.

His passions, in addition to teaching, were Latin American literature, of which he had a great knowledge; politics, particularly where Puerto Rico was involved; and gardening — his favorites were home-grown tomatoes.

He is survived by his wife; his son, Diego E. Sierra; his mother, Sylvia Corbet; his father, Esteban Sierra Nieves; his sister, Sylvia Kaercher Sierra; and his three half-brothers.

Anyone wishing to make a contribution in his name is asked to give to United Way or to Special Olympics.

The Class of 1984