Harriet Stadtner

September 22, 1922 - June 22, 2017
Harriet Stadtner, nee Harriet Beryl Davidson, passed away on June 22, 2017, at 94. Known to friends and family as Tasha, she was born in Stockton on September 22, 1922, to Sol and Ida Davidson. She and her husband, Dr. David Stadtner (1917-2013) were well-known in the community and longtime members of Temple Israel. Tasha's parents came to Stockton as children from Ukraine, fleeing persecution. Tasha attended El Dorado elementary school, Stockton High School, College of the Pacific, UCLA and Cal Berkeley. Her degree was in journalism, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle during WW II. It was during this time at the Chronicle that the editor suggested she sign her articles with a name with more flare than Harriet. Thus, the name Tasha was born, derived from the Russian Natasha.
Married in 1944, the couple spent their first year in Georgia where David trained as an Army physician. Surrounded in rural Georgia by racism and anti-Semitism, she always claimed it was the worst year in her life. David, returning from the Philippines in 1946 where he served as a medical officer, began his practice in Stockton. Tasha assisted in the office for many years and also accompanied David on foreign trips where they both volunteered in clinics and hospitals. They also went on good-will medical missions to China and Russia when these countries were first opening up.
Tasha was among the founders of the popular annual Jewish Food Fair. Her recipes are now passed down in the repertoire of 'Stockton-Jewish' dishes. Tasha's kitchen was a place for all to gather, a memorable mix of nibbling and kibitzing. She also helped found the Friends of Chamber Music of Stockton and was active in the United Jewish Appeal, the Stockton Civic Theatre, the Stockton Symphony and the local Democratic Party. She also contributed to Hospice of San Joaquin, the Dave Brubeck Institute and UOP's library. She also played a good game of tennis.
She was a great mom to three difficult children, Donald (69), Barre (65), and Torrey (62). She leaves behind three grandsons, Alexander, Solomon and Martin, and a great-grandchild, Oliver. Her sole sibling, Alvin Davidson, passed away in Stockton in 2012. Tasha will be remembered for the acts of goodness she performed.
A memorial service at Temple Israel will be held on August 31 at 11:00 a.m., followed by refreshments. Please, no flowers. If you wish to honor Tasha and David's memory, please donate to the American Civil Liberties Union (www.aclu.org) or Planned

Parenthood (www. plannedparenthood.org).