Memories of Sondra (Stetin) Gash | Ever Loved

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In memory of

Sondra (Stetin) Gash

Maplewood, NJ, USA

December 7, 1934 - July 18, 2021

Dec 7, 1934 - Jul 18, 2021

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Naomi Shapiro

Sondra taught me short story writing at the Jewish Y on Northfield with a bunch of other people and when I said that I had difficulty typing, she said “you just keep writing and I will type your stories for you”, but I never asked her to type my stories I got a special typewriter and did it myself. She was always very encouraging and very positive and her instructions were very, very fine. At one point she asked us to write a story that had all the senses in it -smells, taste, touch and sight and I wrote a short story about Deal New Jersey. She was a wonderful, kind and very, very fine instructor. I was very fortunate to have her and I still think of her and miss her!

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Anne Plaut

Shared a heart

Ben Garmisa

Two words come to mind when thinking of Sondra: generous friend.
A talented writer, she shared her love of poetry with us, doing all she could to mentor, help in any way. She was always smiling, upbeat.

We met in the late 80s, attended weekly South Mountain Poets and U.S.1 meetings together—also workshops with Molly Peacock. We read at Diane Lockward's Girl Talk: Women's History Month, Summit's Women's Resourse Center, in Paterson's old district where we heard Allen Ginsberg read—where we'd sit with her pretty blond mother and Ira, her knight in shining armor. Later she hosted readings in her Tewksbury home I last saw Sondra in 2014, when BJ Ward, Terese Halscheid, Laura Boss and I read for her at Winchester Gardens.

We're all left with so many fond memories of her. She will never be forgotten.

Farwell dear friend and much much love and gratitude,
Wanda Praisner

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Raised by 4 people

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Ben Garmisa

“Back when I was still a wanna-be writer, I attended a reading that Sondra held in Summit. I loved her work and, as I went up to congratulate her, she looked at me and said, "You look like a poet." Those words changed my life. She was willing to look at some of the poems I was carrying (a novice error, but she was kind enough not to point it out) and suggested that we work together. At that time my family didn't have the means for me to take lessons, but we decided on a barter - I helped her with her computer and she critiqued my writing and taught me to become a better poet and writer. I learned as much sitting beside her and watching her consider the manuscript of Silk Elegy - shifting a word here, a phrase there, being immensely patient with the work, sometimes even coming full circle and deciding that she had it right to begin with - as I did working with her on my own poetry. And eventually I began to publish my work - and then my verse novel, which she helped me shape and refine - and then, finally, as I moved from poetry into prose. Her support through it all was immeasurable. When I joined The Writers Circle, she was one of the first instructors I recommended. We were delighted to include her on our teaching staff for a few years. The attached photos are from our annual Tea & Poetry reading we held at MONDO Summit in 2015, featuring TWC poets, Donna Baier Stein, Chris Kapp, yours truly, and, of course, Sondra. Please feel free to use any of these. IMG_9829.JPG IMG_9830.JPG IMG_9894.JPG IMG_9905.JPG I feel blessed to have met Sondra all those years ago and to have gotten to know some of her family, especially Ira and Amy. My sincerest condolences to you and to the entire family.“ - Michelle Cameron

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Ben Garmisa

“Back when I was still a wanna-be writer, I attended a reading that Sondra held in Summit. I loved her work and, as I went up to congratulate her, she looked at me and said, "You look like a poet." Those words changed my life. She was willing to look at some of the poems I was carrying (a novice error, but she was kind enough not to point it out) and suggested that we work together. At that time my family didn't have the means for me to take lessons, but we decided on a barter - I helped her with her computer and she critiqued my writing and taught me to become a better poet and writer. I learned as much sitting beside her and watching her consider the manuscript of Silk Elegy - shifting a word here, a phrase there, being immensely patient with the work, sometimes even coming full circle and deciding that she had it right to begin with - as I did working with her on my own poetry. And eventually I began to publish my work - and then my verse novel, which she helped me shape and refine - and then, finally, as I moved from poetry into prose. Her support through it all was immeasurable. When I joined The Writers Circle, she was one of the first instructors I recommended. We were delighted to include her on our teaching staff for a few years. The attached photos are from our annual Tea & Poetry reading we held at MONDO Summit in 2015, featuring TWC poets, Donna Baier Stein, Chris Kapp, yours truly, and, of course, Sondra. Please feel free to use any of these. IMG_9829.JPG IMG_9830.JPG IMG_9894.JPG IMG_9905.JPG I feel blessed to have met Sondra all those years ago and to have gotten to know some of her family, especially Ira and Amy. My sincerest condolences to you and to the entire family.“ - Michelle Cameron

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Ben Garmisa

“Back when I was still a wanna-be writer, I attended a reading that Sondra held in Summit. I loved her work and, as I went up to congratulate her, she looked at me and said, "You look like a poet." Those words changed my life. She was willing to look at some of the poems I was carrying (a novice error, but she was kind enough not to point it out) and suggested that we work together. At that time my family didn't have the means for me to take lessons, but we decided on a barter - I helped her with her computer and she critiqued my writing and taught me to become a better poet and writer. I learned as much sitting beside her and watching her consider the manuscript of Silk Elegy - shifting a word here, a phrase there, being immensely patient with the work, sometimes even coming full circle and deciding that she had it right to begin with - as I did working with her on my own poetry. And eventually I began to publish my work - and then my verse novel, which she helped me shape and refine - and then, finally, as I moved from poetry into prose. Her support through it all was immeasurable. When I joined The Writers Circle, she was one of the first instructors I recommended. We were delighted to include her on our teaching staff for a few years. The attached photos are from our annual Tea & Poetry reading we held at MONDO Summit in 2015, featuring TWC poets, Donna Baier Stein, Chris Kapp, yours truly, and, of course, Sondra. Please feel free to use any of these. IMG_9829.JPG IMG_9830.JPG IMG_9894.JPG IMG_9905.JPG I feel blessed to have met Sondra all those years ago and to have gotten to know some of her family, especially Ira and Amy. My sincerest condolences to you and to the entire family.“ - Michelle Cameron

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Ben Garmisa

“Back when I was still a wanna-be writer, I attended a reading that Sondra held in Summit. I loved her work and, as I went up to congratulate her, she looked at me and said, "You look like a poet." Those words changed my life. She was willing to look at some of the poems I was carrying (a novice error, but she was kind enough not to point it out) and suggested that we work together. At that time my family didn't have the means for me to take lessons, but we decided on a barter - I helped her with her computer and she critiqued my writing and taught me to become a better poet and writer. I learned as much sitting beside her and watching her consider the manuscript of Silk Elegy - shifting a word here, a phrase there, being immensely patient with the work, sometimes even coming full circle and deciding that she had it right to begin with - as I did working with her on my own poetry. And eventually I began to publish my work - and then my verse novel, which she helped me shape and refine - and then, finally, as I moved from poetry into prose. Her support through it all was immeasurable. When I joined The Writers Circle, she was one of the first instructors I recommended. We were delighted to include her on our teaching staff for a few years. The attached photos are from our annual Tea & Poetry reading we held at MONDO Summit in 2015, featuring TWC poets, Donna Baier Stein, Chris Kapp, yours truly, and, of course, Sondra. Please feel free to use any of these. IMG_9829.JPG IMG_9830.JPG IMG_9894.JPG IMG_9905.JPG I feel blessed to have met Sondra all those years ago and to have gotten to know some of her family, especially Ira and Amy. My sincerest condolences to you and to the entire family.“ - Michelle Cameron

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Ben Garmisa

Ben Garmisa

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Ben Garmisa

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Ben Garmisa

Ben Garmisa

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$175.00

Raised by 4 people

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Created with love by Ben Garmisa (Sondra's grandson) and Sarah Garmisa (Sondra's granddaughter).

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