Helen Stern

1930 - 2020

Helen Stern, 90, longtime resident of Glastonbury, died Saturday, January 25. Born January 11, 1930 in Gary, Indiana, she was the only child of Clara and Carl Dollstedt. After graduating valedictorian of Hobart High School in Hobart, Indiana she attended Smith College where she majored in geology. Upon graduation in 1951 she moved to New York City where she worked as a geologist, during which time she met her husband, Peter Stern. Their friendship was sealed when they realized they were both experts on bauxite ore. They married six months later. Helen went on to teach chemistry at The Dalton School, before she and Peter moved to Boston where they started their family. After a brief stint in Tennessee, they settled in Glastonbury in 1968, having chosen the town for its schools and open space. In the years that followed, Helen and Peter worked toward maintaining and improving these two features of the town. In addition to raising her four children, she devoted herself to community service including the PTO and League of Women Voters, and she worked tirelessly on behalf of the Democratic party, participating in get-out-the-vote efforts, drafting press releases, and advising local elected officials. Helen, herself, served on the Glastonbury Board of Education for 22 years, four years as chairwoman, and was voted Democrat of the year in 2005. After her retirement from the Board of Education, she served on the Glastonbury Conservation Commission, which Peter had served on for 21 years. She remained involved with the Democratic Town Committee until the end of her life. Helen was pre-deceased by her husband, Peter, and daughter, Cathy, and is survived by her children Peggy Stern of Quito, Ecuador, Rob Stern and Holly Dudrick of Austin, Texas, son-in-law Nick Schade and his wife, Robin, Jennie Stern-Hagen and son-in-law Jim Hagen of Glastonbury, as well as grandchildren, Peter Sternhagen, Sam Sternhagen and Presley Stern, and her beloved dog, Lucy. Friends are invited to a celebration of Helen's life on February 22, 2020, at 2 pm, at the Riverfront Community Center, 300 Welles Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Memorial donations may be made in Helen's name to The Nature Conservancy https://www.nature.org. For online condolences please visit www.mulryanfh.com.