Jonathan Sterne

I miss his smile and warmth, his commitment amd laughter. But most of all i miss the conversations and his unique mind. Larry

My deepest sympathies and condolences to Carrie-I´m sorry for this heartbreaking loss and hope that in time you are able to find some peace.

I heard the news about Jonathan's death about a week ago. It's taken me this long to think about what to write. When I would sit down to write, I would hear Jonathan say, "unpack this". There, in these two words, was one of his many strengths - to support and uplift his students, and look for areas where they could further develop their thoughts, on their own terms.

He was my thesis supervisor while I was at McGill. I didn't realize how lucky I was to have him as a mentor. I remember our first thesis meeting well, where we set up the road map and direction for my work.

"This is all you. I'm here when you need me. You draw the map and steer the ship, and I'll guide you along the way." He let me find my own path and develop my own ideas, but with his guidance. He was always so generous with his time and knowledge, and insight. This nurturing, for a bright-eyed bushy-tailed graduate student, was such a privilege.

He created a safe space to discuss big ideas, but also left room for vulnerability, questioning, humour, and play: it was ok to make mistakes and search for answers. He helped along the way, in the process of growth and discovery.

There are memories outside of my thesis work that stay with me. He shared his recipe for deep dish pizza with me, which I still have. Once, we met at Thomson House for lunch. He picked up the bill for both of us, and tipped very generously. He mentioned that it's a way to send the elevator down; he's already gainfully-employed, so picking up the bill and tipping-well is a way to economically empower and raise up those who are still on their way up the ladder.

Since I left McGill, he always gave me a glowing reference for whatever I wanted to pursue. We also exchanged emails from time to time, to catch up on how things were going in our respective lives.

The last email exchange was in the spring. I never knew that would be the last exchange. I still have the email. Even though the emails won't continue, and I'll never see him again, I can imagine his face on the other side: a warm, glowing smile and raised eyebrows - his signature move when intrigued, inspired, and content.

My deepest condolences to everyone who loved him, and especially to Carrie, whom I had the chance to see in action with Jonathan-they were an amazing duo.

I had the privilege of being one of his teaching assistants at McGill. It was a formative period, and who better than Jonathan to show me how to engage with students and teach ? He will always have my gratitude for his thoughtful advice and his humanity.

With all my love,
Jorge Frozzini

As an incoming grad student moving to Montreal in 2017, immediately connecting with the Critical Disability Studies Working Group there connecting critical issue engagers on and off-campus, I was introduced to Jonathan as a peer and an active community doer. But this was still by reputation; it was great to become more directly introduced when we both performed at a late 2018 symposium there on challenging ableism and audism through the arts.
Corresponding periodically since then, i'm one of so many enlivened by finding his work and getting to be in conversation, and really hoped he could continue sharing his wisdom, struggles, and jouissance in the world for years to come. Quite sorry for this news, i feel his loss in concert with his loved ones and everyone he's touched. Sending most care to those bereaved, seeley quest

Beautifully written, dear Carrie. You so vividly convey Jonathan's many talents, his passions, and his remarkable generosity of spirit. I hear his strong voice and his warm easy laughter. All comfort to you in the days ahead.

I was exceptionally lucky to have Jon in my life. His loss is incalculable. The reality still hasn't sunk in. I can feel something significant missing from the big cosmic whatever. I had known him for almost 40 years. I was in one of the first bands he played in, if not the first. I was also lucky to get to know you, Carrie, through Jon in college. Memories of the two of you getting to know each other, your awesome wedding, and times spent together still linger in my head every day. Jon remained, and will remain, a pivotal and highly influential person in my life, as well as an irreplaceable friend. I would not be who I am today had he not reached out to me back on the "pre-Internet" sometime between 1987 and 1989. I will always regret buying a plane ticket to Boston too late to see him one last time. So be it. The vast whatever has spoken. I am devastated by his passing, but I try to balance this with how happy I am to have known him, to have spent time with him, to have grown up with him, and to have had him as a friend. Please take care of yourself, Carrie! Let's talk again soon.

Thank you for sharing this thoughtful and caring tribute to Jonathan and for the kindness you both showed me.
Please reach out if ever you would like to have a tea or a walk.
My warmest wishes for peace and courage to you and all those who knew Jonathan,

Cynthia Kelly

I met Jonathan at a faculty party when he was visiting the U of I to talk about his MP3 manuscript. His talk was on another level than any scholarship I knew, and I couldn't wait until the book was published so I went back and read (and started teaching) The Audible Past. I invited him to be a discussant at a conference at Illinois for music teachers a few years later, interacted with him occasionally via email, but hadn't seen him since the Oxford sound studies conference (2014?). His ideas have been central in my scholarship, but I'm most sad to lose his sweet presence and brilliance. Thanks for the wonderful obituary and my deepest condolences.

Thank you for this beautiful remembrance, Carrie. And thank you for your generosity sharing Jonathan with all of us. Sending you much love, Nina

You found such beautiful words, Carrie. Many of us owe our entire careers to Jon's inspirational mentorship which took many forms: directed readings, classes, teaching and research assistantships but also, as you said, some great parties and dinners. I cherish the latter social things, and credit it to making be a better person, as much as the academics. May Jon rest in peace and may all of us "pay it forward" in his memory in whatever way we can.

This is beautiful and true, Carrie. Deepest sympathy, love Cathy

Carrie your courage as well as your love shines through this beautiful memorial. Thank you for sharing. Love and respect, Jody

Thank you, Carrie, for this beautiful tribute to Jonathan. He will be with you always.

How could one not admire Jonathan for the smart, generous intellect that he was. But even more so, you two's love for each other was a joy to behold. Thank you for letting us share in your grief, Carrie. Memory eternal!

Thank you for this, Carrie. Beautiful.

Jon was a phenomenal person, intelligent, kind. A philanthropist. We will miss him!

There are so many things I remember about Jonathan, by you captured him so beautifully and fully here. I've reminisced about him in other places, but here, I'd just love to recall how much I learned, as a graduate student when he was on the job market for the first time. we would do "mock talks" for one another, and Jonathan was one of the first in our cohort to go on the market. So he was modeling for us how to do a job talk as well as trying his out for us. It is a testament to how clear his talk was that I remember so much about it to this day! But what, from this point in time, now seems to obvious, was how questions about impairment were always at the heart of his work. The historical detail that most stuck with me all of these years was how sound recording was "discovered" as Alexander Graham Bell was seeking a mechanism to "heal" his brother's deafness. He managed to weave the story of ablism and disability into the history of sound in ways that made me totally rethink what I thought I knew about this particular invention (from my School House Rock days). I'll miss learning new things from him. But I suspect that I will keep learning new things from the work he completed and hopefully some of what will be published posthumously. Because as this anecdote suggests, his work was layered and deep in ways that keep rewarded as we move through time. Love to you Carrie. Mary

This is such a loss. May his memory be a blessing. His innovative brilliance, profound empathy, deep scholarly rigour combined with a love of silliness will live in the memories of all as well as in his impactful and delightful writing. I am so sorry we weren't able to bring him to UBC for his talk last year but I will always remember the first time he generously and immediately agreed to come for a keynote in BC about fifteen years ago -- I still find gems and inspiration from that talk.