Irwin Lawrence Stern

Irwin Lawrence “Larry” Stern

December 15, 1936, to June 26, 2024

 Irwin Lawrence Stern (known as Larry by everyone for his whole lifetime) was born in Jersey City, NJ on December 15, 1936, to Morris and Regina Stern. Larry grew up in Jersey City with a large family of cousins, uncles, and aunts, graduated from Lincoln High School, and earned a full scholarship to Rutgers University. At Rutgers, he was a founding member and first President of the Rho Upsilon chapter of the national fraternity AEPi. Larry received a Fulbright scholarship to study in France for a year following graduation, and then earned a full scholarship to Harvard University, where he earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy and then landed his first academic job at Dartmouth University. 

 Larry married June Goldman, of Newark, NJ in 1959. Their son Lowell Robert Stern, was born in Boston and daughter Rebecca Thea Stern, was born in New Hampshire, where the family had moved after Larry landed the position at Dartmouth. In 1969, the family moved back to their home state of NJ, and Larry began teaching at City College of New York, and the family lived in Metuchen, NJ. 

 June and Larry divorced in 1973, but remained good friends, thereafter, always celebrating holidays and the milestones in their children’s lives together. Lowell and Becky visited Larry during school vacations, which allowed them to see much of the country together, as Larry took visiting professorships at Brown University and William and Mary, as well as spending several years at the University of Maryland. Larry had a book entitled “Things to Do with Children in Washington, DC” and Larry and his kids did all of them! 

 After a brief break from academic life, during which he worked as medical ethicist for the National Institutes of Health, Larry moved to Tacoma, Washington, where he taught at the University of Puget Sound for 28 years, retiring as a full professor, a popular teacher and trusted faculty advisor to his students. He was renowned among students, colleagues and family for his photographic memory, the breath of his knowledge on a wide range of subjects, including world history and literature, and his unique sense of humor and turns of phrase. 

After retiring from academia, Larry moved to Chapel Hill, to be close to Becky, her husband Michael, and their son Caleb, who was five years old at the time. Larry became quite the regular fixture at Weaver Street Market Sunday morning Jazz Brunch, where he danced with his customary abandon. He enjoyed his life in North Carolina very much, as well as visits to DC to be with Lowell and his wife Juleen, and their two sons, Benjamin, and Nicholas. In 2009, Caleb’s younger brother Archer arrived, and Larry enjoyed letting Archer take apart his house to build forts however he pleased. He also taught Archer to play chess and enjoyed introducing him to all the health foods that he himself enjoyed his whole life.

 Larry is survived by son Lowell Stern (Juleen Savarese) of Arlington, VA; daughter Rebecca Stern (Michael McElreath) of Carrboro, NC; grandchildren Benjamin Stern, Nicholas Stern, Caleb McElreath and Archer McElreath, and his former wife, June Logue of Chapel Hill, NC. 

 The family will hold a private graveside service on July 3, and asks that in lieu of flowers, any donations in Larry’s memory go to the Inclusion Fund at Judea Reform Congregation of Durham, NC.