Sondra Regina Gash, poet, writer, teacher, wife, mother, and grandmother, died peacefully on July 18th at her home in Maplewood, New Jersey. She was the author of Silk Elegy (CavanKerry Press, Ltd., 2002), a collection of linked poems about a young girl from an immigrant family whose life is disrupted by her mother’s illness, and Suit and Dress (Kelsay Books, 2018), semi-autobiographical poems about the emotional spheres of work and home. Sondra was born and grew up in Paterson, NJ, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, raised her family in Berkeley Heights, NJ, and lived for ten years in Tewksbury, NJ.

She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Dr. Ira Gash, by her sister, Myra Levine of St. Louis, Missouri, by her daughters Lauren Beth Gash (Gregg Garmisa) of Highland Park, Illinois, and Amy Gash (Stephen Churchville) of Summit, New Jersey, and by grandchildren Sarah Gash Garmisa, Ben Gash Garmisa, and Nick Becker. Sondra was a board member of the American Labor Museum, which was founded by her father, Sol Stetin, who was the International President of the Textile Workers Union of America. Both her father and her mother, Frieda Stetin—as well as the city of Paterson—were the inspiration for much of her writing.

Sondra and Ira’s extraordinary relationship began when they both worked at the New Jersey Rehabilitation Commission in Newark, NJ. When Ira proposed, Sondra agreed—but with the stipulation that they would reevaluate every five years. Happily married since 1958, they apparently renewed the contract repeatedly. Sondra was the light of Ira’s life, and he was her champion in all her writing endeavors, often providing her technical assistance in the digital age. He credits her for encouraging him to get his PhD and become a psychologist. They shared a commitment to social justice, as well as a love of travel, jazz, food, and family. Sondra was extremely close to her two daughters, who often relied on her wisdom and intellect. Active with the Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) and local Fair Housing Committee, Sondra became a Democratic Party representative for her area later in life.

Silk Elegy was a finalist for the 2003 Paterson Poetry Prize and Sondra was a recipient of fellowships from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (for fiction and poetry), the Corporation of Yaddo, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She was awarded a grant in Creative Writing from the Puffin Foundation, and her poem “Anniversary Couple” was awarded first prize in the Passaic County College Allen Ginsberg Poetry Competition. Her poems and articles have appeared in many publications including Poets and Writers, The New York Times, Paterson Literary Review, Calyx, and US 1 Worksheets. Her play, co-authored with Carol Goodman, What Knife is Sharp Enough, had a staged reading in Manassas, Virginia, with Upstart Crow Productions. A featured reader and teacher at the Dodge Poetry Festival in Waterloo, NJ, Sondra has taught writing skills at Rutgers University and coordinated the poetry program at the Women’s Resource Center in Summit, NJ. Her home in Tewksbury was the site of many lively poetry readings and she will be remembered as a compassionate mentor and an intuitive and insightful teacher to countless poets and writers.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, July 21 st at 1:30 p.m. at Winchester Gardens, 333 Elmwood Avenue, Maplewood, NJ 07040. In lieu of flowers, people who wish to do so may make a donation to the American Labor Museum (Botto House National Landmark) at labormuseum.net or 83 Norwood St., Haledon, NJ 07508.

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