APRIL 11 • 2024 | 37
in German at Columbia University in
1954. In 1980, upon the invitation of
Lenya, Guy became a member of the
board.
In his video tribute, Dr. Kim
Kowalke, president and CEO of the
foundation, proudly spoke about the
high honor he was able to bestow upon
his lifelong friend. “In December of
2021, just four weeks before his 100th
birthday, the board of trustees of the
Kurt Weill Foundation for Music
elected Guy Stern its first and only
lifetime trustee.”
THE HC REMEMBERS
Mark Mulder, director of Curatorial
Affairs at The HC, offered remarks on
behalf of the staff of the museum. He
painted a picture of a man, who despite
his legendary status, seemed to just blend
in as one of the staff.
“He never put himself above others,”
said Mulder. “He made sure everyone
felt unique, no matter what your role
here was or how old you were.”
Mulder was 36-years old, Stern 90,
when they met. “I feel him everywhere
I go here, and with everything I
do.” He concluded his tribute by
imploring those in attendance and
those streaming the memorial — “To
be better like Guy and take the lessons
that we’ve learned today, by talking
about him in memory of him, and
apply them to your lives and to be a
little bit more like Guy.”
A GRATEUL SUSANNA STERN
The memorial fittingly concluded
with remarks by Guy’s beloved wife
Susanna. “Good morning in the U.S.,
good afternoon in Europe,” she proudly
said to the filled auditorium at The HC
and viewers streaming the program in
Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France,
and the U.K.
“Today he’s here,” she said of Guy.
“He is with us: with me, his wife, with
his friends, with his dear colleagues
and other veterans. And you know
what has brought him back today, just
for this hour on a Sunday morning?
Love. We all came together today to
focus on our love and respect for Guy.”
She described the bond Guy had
with other veterans and the medical
help he got from the VA in Ann Arbor.
“These were his buddies, there he felt
understood,” she said. Feelings that
ultimately led to his desire to be buried
in the Great Lakes National Cemetery
in Holly.
“Today he is among us. I see him:
with a big smile on his face, happy and
proud that we came together to honor
him. He looks ageless and sweet, as
always, and he wears his favorite pink
jacket. And he says: ‘I exceeded my
expiration date by more than 20 years.
I was able to work until I was 100 years
old. Don’t be sad that I’m gone. Rather,
be joyful that I was with you for such a
long time.’“
Joy certainly was the order of the
day. Each tribute sharing a common
theme — celebrating Stern’s intel-
lect, his passion, his vitality and most
importantly, remembering, as Susanna
said, that “Guy really made a differ-
ence in many people’s lives.” That was
and always will be the legacy of Dr.
Günther “Guy” Stern.
A reception followed the program,
with guests invited to view a display of
artifacts from Guy’s collections while
enjoying recordings of his favorite
music and his favorite dessert, Key
Lime pie. Truly a sweet ending to a
memorable day.
Only a few hours after Guy Stern’s
memorial program concluded, Susanna
told me that she received a phone call
from her 99-year old friend Eric Billes,
a retired dentist who fled Vienna in the
late 1930s. Unable to attend the event
at The HC, he watched online from his
home.
He expressed how lovely the trib-
utes were but immediately reflected
about something that he was surprised
no one mentioned in their remarks.
He reminded Susanna that “Stern” in
German means “Star,” expressing in so
many words that Guy was every bit of
a shining star. Indeed, a star that will
forever sparkle and bring light into all
of our lives.
Jewish War Veterans and Ladies Auxiliary
honor their beloved member Guy Stern.