Sarah Lerner Kretzer

Sarah "Syde" Kretzer - a 95 year-old resident of Mobile passed away Friday, November 29, 2013.Some people of extraordinary gifts and talents let you know of those accomplishments. Others, like Sarah Kretzer, just do, just are, and when we know people like that our respect and admiration is deep.Sarah was an only child of immigrant parents. Her parents poured all their dreams into this child who could fulfill everything a typical first generation American child could be expected to do.The family lived in New York City. Forced to practice the piano every day and possessing native ability, Sarah not only played for her neighborhood, her school assemblies and her family, she won prizes including at age 10 the NYC Borough prize in piano. This was the basis for her lifelong love of music - her participation with the piano ensemble group here in Mobile, her board membership with the Mobile Chamber Music Association, her attendance at local symphony concerts, and her Saturday radio dates to listen to the Metropolitan Opera. She passed on that love to her entire family, to many of the students she taught at Kate Shepherd School and as the music director for the Spring Hill Ave. Temple religious school.Sarah was a born teacher and she served this role until the very end. Her impact as a classroom teacher at Kate Shepherd Elementary School was demonstrated numerous times by students and their parents who would see her out in the community years after being in her class. They would often tell her what an impact she had on their lives. Special moments of recognition would come - a book dedicated to her, an invitation with only the honoree's parents to attend the dinner at Johns Hopkins when her former second grade student was given a Chair of Excellence at the Medical School, a shout out at a holiday musical event when the music teacher paused during the performance to recognize the teacher who had inspired her to become a music teacher and a visit just a year ago when a former student came to town to visit his parents and when he learned that Mrs. Kretzer was still alive to ask to come see her bringing a bouquet of flowers. Sarah was a music major and a geography minor at Hunter College, the women's college of New York City, from which she graduated in 1940. In those depression days, going to Hunter College where tuition and books were free was for the fortunate few academically qualified women. We heard great stories about her skipping classes to attend jazz performances and saw glamorous prom pictures. Somehow she managed to work part time in the boudoir section of a fancy department store, teach music lessons, study and have fun. She valued her education and encouraged others to get degrees. In fact, after a bout with cancer in 1975 Sarah returned to college again and earned a Master's Degree in Counseling at the University of South Alabama at age 57. As a guidance counselor at Davidson High School she listened to her students with "unconditional positive regard" a counseling technique that came as second nature to her. She helped broaden the horizons of students about the career and college choices they could consider. Sarah worked for the Mobile County Board of Education for 20 years, but this was not the end of her career. Her capstone job was with the University of South Alabama as a counselor to non-traditional students. While at South Alabama she helped found the Odyssey program and served as the volunteer curriculum director for many years. At work, her colleagues became dear friends. In fact, Sarah never met a stranger whether here or on her worldwide travels with her late husband of 69 years Sol Kretzer. She was admired and loved by her husband Sol; her daughters, Lois Solomon and Babs Kretzer Feibelman (Jef); her grandchildren, Jeremy Solomon (Michelle), Lara Cohen (Craig), Adam Feibelman (Cindy) and Lewis Feibelman; and her great-grandchildren, Maxwell Solomon, Jacob Jeremy "J.J." Solomon, Mason Solomon, and Sadie Rose Cohen.Funeral service will be held from Spring Hill Avenue Temple on Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 3 p.m. The family will receive friend from 2:30 p.m. until the service hour. Interment will follow in Spring Hill Avenue Temple Cemetery. Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com. Arrangements by Radney Funeral Home, 3155 Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama 36606.