Irene Wald Stein

Irene Wald Stein died in Ithaca on March 26, 2023. She was born on July 27, 1930 in Boston Massachusetts, to Hyman and Eva (Krock) Wald (she was actually born Irene Thelma Eichenwald, but Hyman shortened the family name during Irene’s elementary school years). Irene was born into an immigrant Jewish home where at the time education and career expectations for women were very low. Irene, however, was never willing to live within those societal norms. She became a first-generation high school graduate, moved out on her own and entered Boston University in 1947 where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature in 1951.

After graduating, Irene worked as an administrative assistant in the Department of Physics at MIT, where she met her husband Peter, then a graduate student. In 1956 Irene and Peter married and began their long life together in Ithaca, NY, where Peter joined the faculty of the Physics Department at Cornell. Irene continued her education at Cornell, earning an M.S. degree in Child Development and Family Relationships in 1958. Irene then turned to raising her three children and worked in a variety of part-time positions before entering a doctoral program at Cornell, earning her Doctorate in the evaluation of social and educational programs in 1979. Irene was employed as an evaluation consultant for a variety of projects, including for Cooperative Extension at Cornell and for an educational project at Ithaca College. She eventually found a professional home as the Elderly Grants Coordinator of the Tompkins County Office for the Aging in 1985, was promoted to Aging Services Planner in 1991, and served as the Director from 1996 until her retirement in 2006.

Irene’s service to the community through her employment was only a part of her dedication to

improving the lives of others and serving the public good, a commitment she shared deeply with her husband and which shaped their lives together throughout their long partnership. From her anti-war activism during the Vietnam era to her work with the Nuclear Freeze movement in the 80’s, Irene was engaged in political action throughout her life. Both Irene and Peter believed passionately in direct engagement with the political process, and were mainstays in the local Democratic Party. Through it all, from the 60’s all the way through today’s controversies, Irene’s core commitment was to social justice and to giving voice to the marginalized and underrepresented amongst us.

Irene’s political organizing skills and her political savvy became legendary as she rose through the ranks of the Democratic Party.  Among other leadership positions, she served as the Chair of the Tompkins Party Democratic Party from 1990 until her second retirement in 2019. Her clear vision and ability to see the strengths and foibles in others, coupled with her discretion and political instincts, made her an invaluable mentor to countless colleagues and friends. For Irene, the work was never about herself, and she declined to run for political office, though others tried to convince her otherwise. Instead, she dedicated herself to improving the party systems and structures, guiding countless candidates through campaigns and building the strength of the Democratic Party, in Tompkins County and more generally in Upstate New York. Under her leadership, Tompkins County completed its transformation into a solid Democratic stronghold. With other upstate leaders, she started the Democratic Rural Conference in 1996, and took over as chair in 2008, to help balance the Downstate influence in the Party and to ensure that Upstate voices were heard and had a more significant impact in state party politics.

Irene was also deeply involved in setting the course of the national Democratic party.  She served on the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2013, was a “superdelegate” to two national conventions and a member of the Electoral College in 2008 and 2012.  She was a trusted advisor to many local, state and national leaders and was particularly pleased to host Hillary Clinton for an overnight stay at her house in 2000.  In her later years, despite her significant mobility and vision impairments, she closely followed national, state and local politics and remained a member of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee (TCDC) until the time of her death. She participated actively, advising others in the 2022 state and local races, helping to write letters, and attending press conferences. Even in her last election, she carefully considered the (unopposed) candidates for offices in the spring elections for offices in the Village of Cayuga Heights and cast her ballot, and completed a recent TCDC survey about future meeting modalities and logistics, registering her preference for in-person meetings, preferably held at Kendal.  And, of course, she never gave up hope in the fight against autocrats at home and abroad.  For much of her later years, most evenings were spent watching MSNBC to keep up with all the latest outrages.

Irene was a lifelong voracious reader and loved attending theater and opera performances in NYC and at summer festivals from the opera at Glimmerglass to Shaw performances at Niagara-on-Lake. From a childhood during which she seldom ventured further from Boston than Worcester, Irene became a world traveler. The family enjoyed two sabbatical years in Italy and Germany respectively, After the children were raised, she and Peter traveled the world together, with the understanding that Irene always had the option to enjoy her book in comfort should the current itinerary not be to her liking.

Above all, family was always at the center of Irene’s life. She was deeply proud of her three children, Melanie, Margaret and David. Though she was never one to hold back advice or her opinion on any matter, recipients always knew it was grounded in fierce love. Her greatest of adoration, however, was reserved for her grandchildren, Anna, Ben, Michael, Martha and Emma. Both she and Peter cultivated deep individual relationships with each one of them. Regular phone conversations with all five were an important part of her life, and family visits, especially Thanksgiving, were high points. Again, she was never hesitant to offer them her opinion on their careers, romances or any other aspects of their lives.  Most recently she has adored getting to know her great-granddaughter Eliza through the miracle of FaceTime.

Predeceased by her parents, her beloved husband Peter and her daughter Margaret Deborah Stein, Irene is survived by her brother Martin Wald (Barbara) of Philadelphia PA, daughter Melanie Ida Stein (Howard Reid) of Ithaca, son David Orlow Stein (Suzanne Morgan) of Takoma Park MD, grandchildren Anna Margaret Stein (John Hoyt) of Bethel CT, Benjamin Joseph Stein of Chattanooga TN, Michael Christophe Morganstein (Isabella Pacho) of Baltimore MD, Martha Deborah Morganstein of Baltimore MD and Emma Isabel Morganstein of Pittsburgh PA, as well as her great-granddaughter Eliza Charlotte Stein-Hoyt.

A celebration to honor both her and Peter’s extraordinary lives will be held May 13th at 3:30 pm at the First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, 306 N. Aurora Street. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to the Tompkins County Office for the Aging, the Tompkins County Public Library, or the Tompkins County Democratic Committee.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Bangs Funeral Home, Ithaca, NY. Online condolences may be made to Irene’s family at www.bangsfuneralhome.com.

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