Stephen Sommer

1939 - 2018

Stephen Sommer
1939 - 2018
Resident of Napa
Stephen John Sommer M.D. passed away from Parkinson's Disease on May 26, 2018 in Napa, CA with his family by his side. He is survived by his wife Suzanne of 46 years (Napa), daughters Amalia Kulczycki (Napa), April Maurath Sommer (Walnut Creek), Tiffany Sommer (Portland, Oregon), and 4 grandchildren. He is fondly remembered as a generous, quiet, compassionate person, with a humble heart; a man of few words but whose words were almost always heartfelt and meaningful. He was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska to Rachel and Henry Sommer who were of Volga Deutsch descent, a heritage Steve was very proud of. He is survived by brother Michael (Petaluma) and sisters Susan and Melody.
Steve was a childhood survivor of polio and this was a powerful impetus to become a physician. He attended the University of Nebraska earning his BA (zoology, Phi Beta Kappa), MS (cellular biology), and MD (1968). In 1976 he opened Avenue Family Practice on Piedmont Avenue, Oakland and became the neighborhood doc for generations of families. In 2004 he opened a second office close to home in Lafayette where he practiced until his retirement in 2015. Patients knew him as a reliable, caring and compassionate Family Physician willing to spend as much time as necessary with every patient. He had a special gift for counseling, helping patients find peace of mind and equilibrium in their lives. He was very proud of the fact that he had multiple generations of the same families as patients.
He loved his girls, his garden and his pet dogs, cats and rabbits. As a father he was engaged, generous, mild mannered and unconditionally proud and loving. He listened with an open heart and encouraged his daughters to find and explore their own paths - he was happy if they were happy.He enjoyed lunch dates with his kids at Fentons and Chow, chocolate, ice cream, and the German language. He was a baby whisperer. Cooking was his forte although he was also known for his lovingly-made but sadly-unappetizing kids' school lunches. We all miss his waffles, chocolate pot de crème, gumbo, roasts, and soups. He made sure his kids knew the USA on frequent family trips, his favorite being New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Education was a core value for Steve and he made it possible for his wife and daughters to reach their educational goals as professional women.
The family wants to thank the loving and compassionate staff at Brookdale Senior Living, Napa as well as the staff and volunteers from Hope Hospice and Hospice By The Bay for their attentiveness and caring.
Steve continued to help others even after his death, willing his body to UCLA and UCSF to assist in the quest to solve the mystery of neurologic diseases. If you wish to honor Steve's life and work please consider a memorial donation to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. https://www.michaeljfox.org/
There will be a celebration of Stephen's life in the near future. The family can be reached at 4FamilySommer@gmail.com.


View the online memorial for Stephen Sommer