Stern, Raya
Bristol
Stern, Raya, 87, died Saturday, June 22, 2024, at the Warren Skilled Nursing & Rehab Center. She was the dedicated mother of Dea Haupt. Born in Leipzig, Germany, she was a daughter of the late Dr. Josef S. and Leontina (Weissbrem) Stern. In 1938, her parents sought asylum in the United States after fleeing Germany. They settled down in Clarence, NY, and together they raised Raya to be a brilliant physicist specializing in acoustical oceanography; she would go on to be published in countless scientific journals about her lifelong work with underwater acoustics. She attended the University of Michigan, where she received her bachelor’s in science and her master’s in mathematics. She moved to Washington D.C where she truly began her career and in 1963, she relocated to Massachusetts. She had lived in Watertown, MA for almost 60 years. During her time in the Watertown community, she was a trustee for the Watertown Public Library for 32 years. She was also a subscriber for the Boston Ballet and Boston Symphony Orchestra. She was a President and dedicated member of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts: Watertown Chapter.
Raya was a devoted mother of Dea and her husband Rob of Bristol, RI; as well as a cherished grandmother to four. A beloved sister-in-law to Joyce D. Stern; Aunt to Lisë Stern and Avi and Linda Stern; Great-Aunt to eight adored nieces and nephews, and Great Great-Aunt to one nephew. She was predeceased by her dear brother, J. Michael Stern.
Graveside services will be held Thursday, June 27 at 10:30 a.m. in North Burial Ground: Bristol, 1081 Hope St, Bristol, RI 02809. Shiva will be observed in private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the National Cancer Institute, Director, National Cancer Institute, Building 31 Room 11A-16, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892 or the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023 Merrifield, VA 22116-7023.
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Dea and family
Please accept my deepest condolences on the loss of your mother and dear friend. I knew your mom while we both served as trustees at the Watertown Library and I cherished her intelligence, integrity and good humor. I would often see her in the library and would always be greeted by a warm smile. She was a lovely lady and I will always think fondly of her. God bless you all during this difficult time.
Dea & Family,
Kindly accepted my sincere condolences with the passing of your Dear Mother. I had the honor and pleasure of serving on the Watertown Free Public Library Board of Trustees with Raya for 16 years. She was so committed and supportive of the Library, and a fitting tribute to her to name the Trustees Room after her. I will always remember my years serving with Raya and may God Bless Her and Her Family.
Dear Dea and family,
I was saddened to learn of Raya’s passing. It has been seventy years since she and I met as freshmen at the U of M in Ann Arbor. Something clicked and we soon chose to be partners in the freshman electronics lab, joyfully and naively teaching ourselves to design and build a two-stage amplifier. I remember well her delightful laugh, quick wit and the pleasure of her company.
Although I really have known Raya for only a brief part of my life, I feel her loss deeply and will cherish her memory. I can only imagine the loss that you who shared your whole lives with her must feel.
May your grief be softened by your own memories.
Fondly,
Jack Lifsitz
I met Raya through the Watertown Town Democratic Committee maybe 10 years ago. She was so fascinating. I liked hearing about her time on the Women’s League of Voters and the things she had to contend with. She hadn’t been coming to meetings and I thought with COVID maybe her routine had changed. I am very sad to hear she is gone. She was really amazing..
We were so saddened to learn of Raya’s death and send our sincere sympathy to Dea and her family. Raya was a dedicated and thoughtful member of the Board of Trustees at the Watertown Free Public Library, serving with Don for many years. She always came to the meetings fully prepared with a plethora of ideas, always relying on her fabulous sense of humor. Kelley remembers Raya fondly as a good friend who worked with her in founding the Friends of The Watertown Free Public Library and instituted the annual Book Fair. Raya also served with Kelley as a member of the Board of the League of Women Voters of Watertown. She brought her in-depth understanding of Town, State and Federal issues, equipped with well-thought-out strategies to address current controversies. In warm memory, Don & Kelley MacDonald