Claudia Sternbach updates readers on her life as a widow, 17 months after she lost her husband to cancer. She spent a year mourning and now has rented out her Aptos home and moved to New York.
More from Claudia Sternbach
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
On the one-year anniversary of my husband’s death, I have decided to retire from writing
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach has decided to end her biweekly column, which started in 2022 as a look at aging in Santa Cruz and morphed into a moving chronicle of grief when her beloved husband, Michael, died of cancer at age 65. Michael died Feb. 25, 2024, and over 12 months, Sternbach has graciously invited readers to share her most vulnerable moments – alone in bed at night, gathering courage to join friends for the holidays, screaming in the shower. Now, she says, after so many words, it’s time to be “quiet for a while.” She needs space to think and travel and see where her journey of one takes her.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Crying in Costco: Hearing aids are part of getting older — why was I weeping during my exam?
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach broke down in tears while getting hearing aids last week. Here, she gently unpacks the moment and reminds us of the loneliness of living as a widow. Her husband died 11 months ago and she has been chronicling her journey.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
I started the New Year floating in a Palm Springs pool at midnight talking to my late husband
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach knew the first holidays without her husband, Michael, who died of cancer in February, would be difficult. So, she booked a stay in Palm Springs for herself, her daughter and grandson. Here, she describes the iconic desert, its purple mountains and modern homes, how she released her anger through matches of air hockey with her grandson and how she found peace in the warm waters of a backyard pool.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Why it’s worth it to get out of bed and join the holiday fun, even when you don’t feel like it
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach had to gather all her strength to attend a holiday party last week. The party fell on the first anniversary of her husband Michael’s cancer diagnosis and close to 10 months since his death at 65. The warmth and kindness she encountered lifted her spirits and reminded her of the joy of new life and the holiness of living.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
I have a new sous-chef: His name is Trader Joe, and he’s helping me learn to cook as a widow
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach is learning to cook for herself with the help of Trader Joe’s frozen food section. She is doctoring pastas and sauces and mixing in loads of super greens. She’s also navigating a table for one – and occasional dinners with her fellow widows.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
The ultimate goodbye: My young grandson paddled out to release my husband’s ashes in the Pacific
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach continues to chronicle her grief as she comes to terms with her new life after the sudden death of her husband, Michael, after 40 years of marriage. Last week, her daughter, 10-year-old grandson and a cadre of friends released Michael’s ashes into the Pacific. Sternbach isn’t a swimmer. She watched with fear and pride and disbelief from the sand.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Table of memories: I’m celebrating Michael’s life at a Seacliff picnic table dedicated in his honor
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach is spending the weekend celebrating the life of her husband, Michael, who died in February after a two-month cancer battle. Her friends dedicated a picnic table at Seacliff State Beach in his honor and they are having a party. She has mixed feelings and wishes she had appreciated her old life more.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
I’m not looking for love at Ikea, but I am starting to discover Santa Cruz’s senior nightlife
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach is starting to venture out in the evenings with her friends. She is discovering that many of her fellow seniors are having quite a good time in Santa Cruz and that quite a few venues are packed and humming with high-spirited folks “who remember when the Beatles first came on the scene.” She still misses her husband, Michael, who died suddenly in February after a two-month battle with cancer. But she is trying to venture out into the world a little and lists a few places she has discovered.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Lessons from my first trip to New York since losing my husband: ‘Keep kissing, even in public’
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach lost her husband six months ago to a fast-moving cancer. They had been married 40 years and she is using this space to chronicle her grief. Here, she details her first trip to New York City since his death, the memories and nostalgia it evoked. “Keep kissing, even in public,” she writes. “Feel the warmth of fingers entwined.”