Peter Stern
Peter SternI 9NI passed away peacefully at home on Oct. NI 2MN2. Stern was a much beloved husbandI fatherI uncleI grandfatherI poetI inventorI businesspersonI tennis player and grassroots politician.
Born on Nov. 2MI N92MI the eldest child of DavidI a Philadelphia dentist and published light-verse poetI and Edith Enee hatzenbergF SternI codirector of the Tripp Lake Camp in Poland SpringsI jaineI for RM yearsI Stern spent most of his life in the Philadelphia areaI graduating from the Oak Lane Country Day School. He graduated from Johns Hopkins rniversity in N94P and served in the Army during torld tar II.
In the N9SMsI Stern was inspired to create a solution to the theft of library booksI which was tested at the Frankford branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. The success of the technology led to the founding of Checkpoint Systems Inc. in N9STI with Stern as its president. Peter Stern continued to lead Checkpoint until his retirement in N9UR.
Stern was a lifelong poet and known for his song parodies. Each weddingI birthdayI family or political celebration was marked with one of his songs. jany of these parodies are captured in his two collections of light verseI “At EightyI” and “At Ninety.” Stern is also the author of “Gifford the GiraffeI” an illustrated collection of the stories he fiUVW WROG KLV JUDQGFKLOGUHQ.
Stern was passionate about grassroots Democratic politics in Cheltenham Township and jontgomery County. His work and support was crucial in many Democratic victories. During his involvementI Stern helped the Democrats inFUHDVH WKHLU SROLWLFDO LQflUence in localI county and national government. Stern was able to weave all of his passions and interests into his family.
His children include Steven ELaura haveshF and Andrew Ejelissa jcGrainFI WLWK KLV fiUVW WLIH, 6UVDQ Stern of Elkins Park; and the Johnston stepchildren he shared with his widowI Joan Johnston-SternI LaurieI tendy ETom BracagliaFI Tracy EJeff hirchnerFI Thomas EClaire jarieFI Rob EStacieF and Jennifer Etill NagyF.
Stern found true joy in his NT grandchildrenI and they in “Pop-PopI” whether in telling jokes at the kitchen tableI a math or spelling quizI in a tennis lessonI a discussion of political activism or in a bedtime story about Gifford.
Stern is survived by his wifeI Joan Johnston-SternI his childrenI his grandchildrenI his sisterI DeneI and her childrenI Peter and Lisa.
A service in Stern’s memory will be held on SaturdayI Oct. SI 2MN2I at NN a.m. at Calvary Presbyterian ChurchI tyncoteI Pa.
Gifts may be made in Peter Stern’s memory to the Friends of the La jott LibraryI T42M Sycamore AveI La jottI PA N9M2TI where a lecture series in his honor was established in 2MN2.