Sterling McCall dead at 78

HOUSTON – The man whose name is associated with numerous car dealerships across the Houston-area has died.  

Sterling McCall died Monday morning surrounded by family at a Houston hospital. He was 78.

His family said he died from a sudden illness.

According to his family, McCall was born in Houston and grew up near Rice University in South Hampton. He graduated from Lamar High School in 1953, before attending and graduating from Southern Methodist University four years later. McCall was a University of Texas Law School graduate.

He was the first Texas Toyota dealer in the southwest in 1969 with Sterling McCall Toyota. McCall became a Lexus dealer in 1989.

He retired to Austin in 2008.

McCall's family said funeral arrangements will be finalized in the next few days.