Jeannie Sternberg Obituary

Jeannie Sternberg died peacefully in her sleep on June 28, 2023. She was born on February 19, 1952 in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in Valley Stream, New York, where she graduated from Valley Stream South H.S. in 1970. Jeannie attended Tufts University, and majored in Art History, graduating with Honors in 1974. Along the way, she spent a semester at Smith College and a year as an exchange student at Dartmouth College. There, she was among the first cohort of women while the College transitioned to co-education. At Dartmouth, she met her husband and life partner of 50 years- Andy Krakoff. Following college, Jeannie attended law school at the University of California, Davis graduating in 1977. After law school, she served as a law clerk to the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, the late Rose Elizabeth Bird. That experience laid the groundwork for her lifelong career defending and protecting the Constitutional rights of men and women on California's death row. Jeannie pursued her work with fierce determination, unmatched intellect, and a compassionate interest in the lives and causes of her clients' actions. Throughout her long career, she mentored countless attorneys and served as a true example of effective capital defense and advocacy. Jeannie lived a rich life beyond her legal work. With her husband and two children, Michael and Emily Krakoff, she loved hiking and camping in the Sierras, reading, watching movies (her favorite was "Casablanca"), walking the family dog Charlie, and just spending time with friends and family. Jeannie especially enjoyed baking, finding time to bake not only for her family, but for her co-workers' special occasions. She had particular success at the Martinez, California "King of the County" barbeque contest, winning awards for her "Chef Choice" dessert entries on numerous occasions. In 2020, Jeannie was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer. She faced this terrible disease as she did with all things in life with courage, grace and tenacity but without self-pity. Following her diagnosis, she retired from her position as Supervising Deputy State Public Defender. In 2021, Jeannie and Andy relocated to their dream home on the island of Maui. Together, they enjoyed the beauty of Maui despite fighting this malignant disease. Jeannie is survived by her husband, Andy Krakoff and two children Michael and Emily Krakoff, a brother Richard Sternberg of Hartsdale, New York, sisters-in-law Judith Calder and Linda Silverman, brothers-in-law David Krakoff and Richard Silverman and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.Jeannie's life was a Light to all who knew her which is not diminished by her passing. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in her memory to Women Helping Women, 1935 Main St., suite 202, Wailuku, Hawaii, 96793, womenhelpingwomen.org or Planned Parenthood, plannedparenthood.org.

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Published by East Bay Times from Jul. 30 to Aug. 6, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Jeannie Sternberg

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3 Entries

Roland Walker, ex-Alameda County (CA) Public Defender's Office

November 17, 2023

By pure chance, today I was flipping through the Dartmouth College section of this Legacy.com website, when randomly I landed on Jeannie's name. I said to myself, "OMG, I know a Jeannie Sternberg!!!"

MY Jeannie Sternberg twice represented on appeal a client of mine. I had been his lawyer beginning from 1982 and lasting to 1985 and beyond. But this CANNOT be she!"

And yet as I read on, I realized that, in fact, this was THE Jeannie Sternberg I knew! Immediately, I was overwhelmed with grief.

Yes, Jeannie twice pursued appeals of the murder case where I represented the defendant, succeeding against high odds the first time.

But the most shocking realization was that, because we were all about business, despite the many hours we discussed this case on those 2 occasions, we never got around to discussing our personal lives in any detail. Had we done so, we would have discovered that we had undoubtedly walked right past each other on many occasions more than a decade earlier, when she was an exchange student at Dartmouth College (likely 1970-1971 or 1971-1972) and I was a regular student at...Dartmouth College (1968-1972)!!!...except for the Spring of 1971, when I was...an exchange student at Wellesley College.

So, our paths had unknowingly crossed in the early 1970's, only to re-cross in the 1980's. We never had the opportunity to discover this remarkable coincidence.

We had several friends in common, many of whom had worked at Jeannie's office and/or at my office. Every single one of them always spoke very highly of her.

Clearly, I am not only lawyer who will miss her. There are so, so many of us.

Ken Donnelly and Cathy Bishop

August 31, 2023

Remembering that Caring Intelligent Fierce Woman Wife and Mother - JEANNIE
We have been TRULY gifted by her warmth -and witnessing her love and deep caring for YOU, Michael and Emily.
As you so often remarked,, Jeannie-was an exceptional being and a huge indescribable force in your shared life! We know your loss is enormous but the life you shared will remain your source of strength to your end.

Ken and Cathy

Lisa and Steve Gunn

August 3, 2023

Steve and I were very sad to hear the news today. We are thinking of what a lovely person Jeannie was and how passionate and committed she was to her profession and to society. We are hoping you are well Andy.

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