I met Stefi on the first day of freshman year at NTW in algebra class. (which we both loved) We became best friends instantly. Ellen Liner, Stef, and I spent most of our high school years together....and beyond. We lived together following graduation from college (both early) and remained close always. I knew she had battled non hodgekins lymphoma for just over a decade, but thought she had beaten the odds. Running into her family in Lincoln Park just two weeks after her death, I was shocked and devastated to hear of her passing. Stefi was one of the kindest, brightest, most evolved souls I have ever known. She was an angel on earth and was ripped from this earth far too young. She died in the fall of 1988 and my heart is broken for her family. I knew them well. She had a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter who was a mini model of her mother. They had lived in Naperville, last I heard her sister Nancy lived in the city (Galewood area) I actually ran into her as well. I miss her sooo much....what a beautiful spirit! Peace and love, Sally Loth Michaels P.S, I remember leaving for our student teaching at Middlefork in Northfield in her 1965 Mustang convertible (white, red leather interior) she loved that car...what a classic. Also Steve Goodman, the brilliant musician, was her first cousin, very cool.
Sally, you have captured all the aspects of Stef so well. I continue to feel so grateful for having had her in my life. She continues to feed the best parts of me. If her mustang could tell stories...
Stef and I remained close and I remember one time visiting her in the hospital with her daughter Jess. We were playing "school" and Stef and I were being naughty kids (not paying enough attention to the teacher and trying to get some talking in). Jess, as the frustrated trying to contol teacher, threatened to send us to the moon if we did not begin shapping up. Jess now is a wonderful parent. Although Stef died when Jess was young, Jess shares many of her Mom's qualities. She is warm, insightful, articulate and has a strong sense of justice.
I have continued to stay in touch with Stef's family. As we were growing into ourselves the Rosenberg home was always open to us. We were treated as extended family and as people of worth. Her parents shared their table, floor space and provided us a place to inquire and live art, culture and protest in vibrant ways.
Stef's Mom Joan wanted to live long enough to see Obama elected. I was able to watch his innaguration with her and Steph's sister Nancy. Joan has since died. I was never able to convince her to make the trip up to Northern MN to see me, but I did get a newly pregnant Stef here for a visit long ago and was able to deepen my friendship with Nancy this summer when she came for a visit.
The lives of so many are richer because of Stef and I can only imagine what other gifts she would of brought forth.
Sally and Andi have captured so much of what I loved and remember about Stef that I am not sure what more needs to be said. But here’s a little bit more.There are few people I have missed and thought about over the course of my life as much as Stef.She was a rare and wonderful person and I know we knew that in high school even though we may not have completely understand how rare and wonderful until we were older. Every time I hear the music of Steve Goodman, Bonnie Koloc, Joni Mitchell and It’s a Beautiful Day (White Bird, to be exact), I conjure up memories of Stefani and those smoky nights in the Rosenberg's family room with Nancy, Joan, Dave and the rest (you know who you are). I wonder what Stan thinks of those days so many years later. I still visualize Dave's metal sculptures (remember the nude woman sitting astride the mobius strip?) and almost reconstruct some of those wild political conversations that ironically, still have meaning so many years later. Their door was always open to us and the house provided a safe haven as we moved through that stage of our lives. I stayed in touch with Stef through college and a bit beyond but regret never meeting her husband or daughter and staying connected with the rest of the family. Thanks to Andi and Sally for filling in some of the later years and please give my love to Nancy the next time you see her.
I think about Stefi a lot. We had a lot of fun together outside of high school because we were pretty wild. Her daughter, Jess, was the same age as my son, Eric so I could relate to her as a parent and friend. As she was going through her cancer illness she shared a lot about the emotional stages she was going through. I have always been grateful to her for maintaining our friendship through her very personal journey.
Sally Loth (Michaels)
I met Stefi on the first day of freshman year at NTW in algebra class. (which we both loved) We became best friends instantly. Ellen Liner, Stef, and I spent most of our high school years together....and beyond. We lived together following graduation from college (both early) and remained close always. I knew she had battled non hodgekins lymphoma for just over a decade, but thought she had beaten the odds. Running into her family in Lincoln Park just two weeks after her death, I was shocked and devastated to hear of her passing. Stefi was one of the kindest, brightest, most evolved souls I have ever known. She was an angel on earth and was ripped from this earth far too young. She died in the fall of 1988 and my heart is broken for her family. I knew them well. She had a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter who was a mini model of her mother. They had lived in Naperville, last I heard her sister Nancy lived in the city (Galewood area) I actually ran into her as well. I miss her sooo much....what a beautiful spirit! Peace and love, Sally Loth Michaels P.S, I remember leaving for our student teaching at Middlefork in Northfield in her 1965 Mustang convertible (white, red leather interior) she loved that car...what a classic. Also Steve Goodman, the brilliant musician, was her first cousin, very cool.
Andrea Lynn Gelb
Sally, you have captured all the aspects of Stef so well. I continue to feel so grateful for having had her in my life. She continues to feed the best parts of me. If her mustang could tell stories...
Stef and I remained close and I remember one time visiting her in the hospital with her daughter Jess. We were playing "school" and Stef and I were being naughty kids (not paying enough attention to the teacher and trying to get some talking in). Jess, as the frustrated trying to contol teacher, threatened to send us to the moon if we did not begin shapping up. Jess now is a wonderful parent. Although Stef died when Jess was young, Jess shares many of her Mom's qualities. She is warm, insightful, articulate and has a strong sense of justice.
I have continued to stay in touch with Stef's family. As we were growing into ourselves the Rosenberg home was always open to us. We were treated as extended family and as people of worth. Her parents shared their table, floor space and provided us a place to inquire and live art, culture and protest in vibrant ways.
Stef's Mom Joan wanted to live long enough to see Obama elected. I was able to watch his innaguration with her and Steph's sister Nancy. Joan has since died. I was never able to convince her to make the trip up to Northern MN to see me, but I did get a newly pregnant Stef here for a visit long ago and was able to deepen my friendship with Nancy this summer when she came for a visit.
The lives of so many are richer because of Stef and I can only imagine what other gifts she would of brought forth.
Howard Klink
Sally and Andi have captured so much of what I loved and remember about Stef that I am not sure what more needs to be said. But here’s a little bit more. There are few people I have missed and thought about over the course of my life as much as Stef. She was a rare and wonderful person and I know we knew that in high school even though we may not have completely understand how rare and wonderful until we were older. Every time I hear the music of Steve Goodman, Bonnie Koloc, Joni Mitchell and It’s a Beautiful Day (White Bird, to be exact), I conjure up memories of Stefani and those smoky nights in the Rosenberg's family room with Nancy, Joan, Dave and the rest (you know who you are). I wonder what Stan thinks of those days so many years later. I still visualize Dave's metal sculptures (remember the nude woman sitting astride the mobius strip?) and almost reconstruct some of those wild political conversations that ironically, still have meaning so many years later. Their door was always open to us and the house provided a safe haven as we moved through that stage of our lives. I stayed in touch with Stef through college and a bit beyond but regret never meeting her husband or daughter and staying connected with the rest of the family. Thanks to Andi and Sally for filling in some of the later years and please give my love to Nancy the next time you see her.
Christine Majer (Crosh)
I think about Stefi a lot. We had a lot of fun together outside of high school because we were pretty wild. Her daughter, Jess, was the same age as my son, Eric so I could relate to her as a parent and friend. As she was going through her cancer illness she shared a lot about the emotional stages she was going through. I have always been grateful to her for maintaining our friendship through her very personal journey.