Fern M. Stein

After courageously and unwaveringly battling cancer for 14 years, Fern M. Stein won the war her way, on Sunday January 26th, 2025.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on November 27, 1962 to the late Nathan and Rabbi Alice Stein, to call Fern a force to be reckoned with, would be an injustice to her character.

A 1980 graduate of Rondout Valley High School, Fern answered her nation's call and enlisted in the US Army, where she served in Germany, doing field artillery. She then went on to attend Ulster County Community College, obtaining her degree in Nursing, and was recalled through the Reserves during the Gulf War Conflict.

Throughout her 22 year career in medicine as a psychiatric nurse, Fern was both admired for her extreme dedication to the mental health field, and cursed for her high expectations of colleagues; she was well aware the number of dirty looks shot her direction by countless new hire nurses who could not get so much as the time of day from her, until they'd made it 6 months on the job and proved they would be as committed to the needs of their patients as she was.

As a mother, Fern worked tirelessly to provide a comfortable and loving home for her only child, Natalysse. With a firm stance and a soft heart, she successfully, and single-handedly, raised a compassionate, hard-working, intelligent woman, of whom she could not have left this world more proud Ferns laughter and determination will shine through within her best girl for years to come. Along the way, she was also an inspiration to many of her daughters' friends that she consistently welcomed and offered heaps of guidance without the sugar coating, whether they asked for it or not, as though they were her own.

They will forever miss the critiques of their "Aunt/Ma' at the most unexpected of moments.

Always an outspoken and opinionated woman, the arrival and explosion of social media gave Fern a platform to not only shout her thoughts, but to make many new friends, and ostracize some of the old... As in the real world, she didn't give a damn which category anyone fell into- you either loved her or loathed her, because of or in spite of her views of the world and she expects nothing less than a continuance in her absence.

In addition to her beloved sisters, whom were at her side with tireless dedication through the end of her time with us, Esther Pinkus and Bonnie Schroader (Jerry), her pride and joy, her sidekick, confidant, and advocate, her daughter Natalysse and son-in-law Donald Heil; Fern will be most lovingly remembered by the grandchildren who gave her renewed vigor for life and the journey therein: her very heart and soul, Reagan Aliza, and Jazmin Malya, Donald, Tiffani, and her great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind 4 nephews here in the US, 2 in Israel, a plethora of great-nieces and nephews around the world, as well as several cousins.

She was predeceased by her sister, Marla Stein, her brother, Bruce Stein, and her brother-in-law, Herman Pinkus.

Fern's family extends their sincere gratitude to the numerous doctors, nurses, EMS responders, and other staff who were involved in her care for their dedication, faith and encouragement throughout her fight; most especially, her oncologist, Dr. Paul Donovan, for his tireless dedication to seeing her beat the odds over and over again.

"A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others." -L. Frank Baum

In lieu of flowers, Fern requested donations in her honor be made to the Rosemary D. Gruner Memorial Cancer Fund at the Benedictine Health Fund. d-support-programs/gauner-fund/.

There will be a funeral service on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the funeral home at 10:00am with Rabbi Frank, interment will follow at Kerhonkson Synagogue Cemetery.