John Stern

December 18, 1915 - January 07, 2012

John Alfred Stern, a long time Palo Alto resident, died Saturday, January 7th, 1212, in his home.  He was 96.  Born in Chicago, he attended the University of Chicago and M.I.T. where he received a master’s degree in metallurgy.  He served as an officer in the Navy during WW II. where he met his wife of 57 years, Elizabeth Stern. 

After the war, they settled in Palo Alto and raised three children. They spent two years living in Toulouse, France and later spent time in Rolling Hills, always returning to Palo Alto.

Working as an aeronautical engineer, he helped bring commercial aviation into the jet age.  He worked for United Airlines, McDonald Douglas and Boeing before establishing his own aeronautical consulting firm.  He was an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Stanford Medical Center, the Joint Community Relations Committee for the Palo Alto Airport and was active in the 1st Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto.

He is survived by three children, Thomas E. Stern of Cadeillan, France, James W. Stern of Sandpoint, Idaho, and Alison Stern of Turlock, seven grandchildren and one great grandson.  He loved his family, airplanes, reading, gardening, and keeping up on current affairs.

Services will be held at the 1st Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto on January 20th at 11:00 a.m.

 

Service Details

Date: January 20, 2012
Time: 11:00am
Location: First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto
Address: 1140 Cowper Street Palo Alto, CA 94301