Bobbie Sterne was born in Moran, Ohio, on November 27, 1919. She attended the Akron City Hospital School of Nursing, and also briefly studied at Akron University and the University of Cincinnati. During the Second World War, Sterne served as a First Lieutenant Army nurse with the 25th General Hospital Unit in Britain, France, and Belgium. While she was in Europe, Sterne married Dr. Eugene Sterne, an Army doctor. Together, they had two daughters.
Sterne was first elected to the Cincinnati City Council in 1971 as a Charter candidate. She served on Cincinnati City Council through 1985, and again from 1987 through 1998. Sterne became the first woman to be elected mayor in Cincinnati in 1976 and she served a second term as mayor in 1979. Sterne has been active on many committees and boards, including the Governor's Task Force on Health Care, the Attorney General's Task Force on Domestic Violence, the Citizen's Committee on Youth, the Community Chest Board of Trustees, the Board of Planned Parenthood, and the Council on Aging. Throughout her career, Sterne focused on health and social service issues, the environment, area tourism, financial management, and city planning. Sterne has received many awards for her work to help the people of Cincinnati including being named as one of Ohio's Women of the Year in 1976, and being inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame.
Sources: "Biographical Information," Box 12, Folder 1, Bobbie Sterne Papers, US-07-04, Archives and Rare Books Library, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
From the guide to the Bobbie Sterne Papers, 1969-2006, (University of Cincinnati, Archives and Rare Books Library)
