Annette Herman Stillerman

Dr. Annette Stillerman, Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalyst, devoted mother of Jonathan, sister to Irving and Bobby, and aunt to Audrey, Joel, Howard, Diane, Steven, Jeffrey, Gail, and Mark, died on Tuesday, September 17 at the age of 90.

Annette received her BS from New York University (NYU), her MSW from the University of Chicago, and her PhD from Northwestern University Medical School. She spent more than 50 years providing therapy and psychoanalysis to individuals and couples in Chicago. She adored her clinical work and was dedicated to helping her patients deepen their understanding of themselves, heal and grow. That said, Annette’s achievements and passions were in no way limited to the academic and professional realms. She was a concert pianist in her youth, the second girl to become a Bat Mitzvah in the state of Connecticut, a lover of convertible sports cars who drove like Mario Andretti, a rabid Chicago Bulls fan, and later in life, a Life Master level bridge player. But perhaps above all, Annette was an exceptional athlete. Athletics were a cornerstone of her life from the beginning. At the age of 16, she played semi-pro softball for the Raybestos Brakettes and went on to earn letters in four varsity sports in college (basketball, fencing, bowling and tennis), a remarkable feat that eventually led to her induction into the NYU Athletic Hall of Fame – one of the proudest moments of her life. In so many ways, Annette was a force of nature, a woman ahead of her time, and a model of female empowerment that defied gender stereotypes.

Contributions in Annette’s honor may be sent to the Women’s Sports Foundation (www.womenssportsfoundation.org) or Planned Parenthood (www.plannedparenthood.org). A private memorial will be held at a future date.