Eric W. Stern

Eric Wolfgang Stern Eric Wolfgang Stern died on Thursday October 13, 2011 at his residence in Mountainside, NJ. He was born in Vienna, Austria on November 4, 1930, the second son of D. Daniel and Bertha Klein Stern. In 1939 he emigrated with his family to Newark, New Jersey. He attended elementary and high school in Newark. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, he obtained a B.S. degree (magna cum laude) in Chemistry from Syracuse University in 1951 and a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 1954. Subsequently he worked as a research chemist at Texaco, the M.W. Kellogg Company, and Engelhard, and was an adjunct professor at Rutgers and Seton Hall Universities. Numerous publications and several foreign and domestic patents resulted from his research. He was a member of several scientific societies--American Chemical Society, Chemical Society (London), North American Catalysis Society, Catalysis Society of metropolitan New York, New York Academy of Science, and served as an officer in some of these societies. He is listed in American Men of Science and Leaders in American Science. Dr. Stern was an avid skier and rock climber and enjoyed writing. His humorous articles were published in Ski Magazine. A collection of his short stories will be published this year. In 1960 he married Patsy Adams Shaler who died last year. They lived in Mountainside, New Jersey. Dr. Stern is survived by his brother Kurt H. Stern (Faith) of Takoma Park, Maryland, stepson Michael Shaler, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren. A gathering will be on Wednesday from 2-4 pm October 19, 2011 at the Gray Funeral Home 318 E. Broad St. Westfield. Rememberances will be offered during the gathering. Donations in lieu of flowers by be made to the American Braille Association of North America in his memory.