Walter Henry Stern

Walter Henry Stern passed away peacefully on August 6, surrounded by his loving family, after valiantly fighting the consequences of brain surgery and a stroke that he suffered in 2011. He was born in Port Elizabeth (A preview of coming attractions), South Africa to Herman Stern, originally from Berlin, Germany, and Miriam Hermer, from Johannesburg. The family emigrated to the United States in the mid-1950s to escape the political unrest in South Africa.

Walter grew up in Scarsdale, New York , and attended Edgemont High School. From there he went on to Dartmouth College where he participated on the ski team and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He then attended the University of Chicago medical school where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. He stayed in Chicago for his internship and ophthalmology residency, specializing in the retina , rising to the level of chief resident.

After his third year in medical school, Walter married Elizabeth (Betty) Lewis of Darien, CT. They met one summer at Dartmouth College where Betty was "studying " creative writing and philosophy, and Walter was "studying " Biology. Later on, while Walter was still an intern and a resident, they gave birth to their two wonderful sons, Josh, and Ben.

In 1975, the young family left Chicago as "refugees" from the weather and came to sunny California, where Walter joined the faculty at the University of California, San Francisco, and eventually became the director of the vitreoretinal service for the next 15 years. In addition to teaching medical students, ophthalmology residents, and retina fellows, Walter worked hard to help practicing ophthalmologists and retina surgeons hone their skills. He organized and chaired several vitrectomy and microsurgical workshops during that time and organized and chaired several ophthalmologist meetings. He taught extensively at meetings of the American Academy of ophthalmology, eventually receiving its honor award; and also authored laboratory vitrectomy teaching manuals to help other vitreoretinal surgeons.

In addition to teaching, he enjoyed and excelled at research. He directed the Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy Study Group, and was co-director of the Uveitis Survey. He was awarded nine different grants to fund a variety of research projects. He authored or co-authored 59 research papers and medical journals, co-authored chapters in three different medical textbooks, and was the co-editor of another textbook concerning vitrectomy in surgical techniques. During that time, he rose to the level of full Professor of Ophthalmology.

After 17 years at UCSF, he decided to pursue his true professional love, helping patients with complex retina problems which he pursued with unequaled compassion. He joined Sterling Haidt's retina practice on the peninsula, to form the partnership that is now the Northern California Retina Vitreous Associates. His partners especially valued his medical opinions and academic expertise, often referring to him as "The Professor". And, to this day, after years of retirement, his patients are still inquiring about the "gentle Dr. Stern."

During his "free time, " Walter pursued his hobbies with the same passion that he pursued in his career: traveling with Betty: for the first six months of their marriage, Walter did a fellowship in Shiraz , Iran and Sydney, Australia and they visited the countries in between. During Walter's years of teaching, they visited many other countries. But what he mostly enjoyed was traveling to the peaceful haven of the Sierras. Besides traveling, Walter studied and loved tennis; hiking and mountain biking in Tahoe with Betty; skiing with his family; wind surfing (repeatedly falling and getting up again); golf; painting; and relishing his time with his five grandchildren. He became a true American when he discovered baseball and the Giants. With his sons, they pursued this passion. He taught them how to get tickets from a scalper and how to move up to closer seats.

He is survived by Betty, his wife of 51 years, and sons Josh, of Menlo Park, married to Jennifer ( sons: Jake, who was born on grandpa's birthday and is equally "lionhearted ", and Rylan; and son Ben, Los Altos, married to Gabriela, (sons Cole and Luke and daughter Alina); twin brothers Ronald of Melbourne, Florida, and Ernest of Bethesda, Maryland. He is predeceased by his brother, Leonard.

If people wish, they may make donations in his name to: Mission Hospice & Home Care, 1670 S Amphlett Blvd, Ste 300, San Mateo, CA 94402, or That Man May See, 10 Korea Wy, Box 0352, San Francisco, Ca 94143.

— Published in San Francisco Chronicle on Aug. 18, 2019.