Johanna Stern was born in Schoenstadt, Germany on February 21,1893 to Aaron and Fanny Metzger, who lived above their small grocery store.   She married Julius on May 6, 1920 and they had 2 children - Irmgard (Irme), (b. January 29, 1921, d. December 24, 2004, married to Walter Herz) and Ludwig (Lou) (b. November 30, 1924, d. July 3, 1988, married to Lottie nee Seligman) and 2 grandchildren (Alvin (married to Jodi Cohen) and Betty (married to Frank Adler). They lived in the small village of Bad Hersfeld until forced to leave Germany for America shortly before Kristallnacht, arriving in NYC on September 3, 1938.   They lived in a 4th floor walk-up apartment in Astoria, Queens with a tiny kitchen, yet Johanna baked challah every week and was an excellent cook.  She loved going on bus day trips to Bear Mountain and other places that reminded her of the countryside where she grew up and she could easily strike up a conversation with strangers.  She died on July 29, 1973.