Gladys Sturman

IN MEMORY OF GLADYS STURMAN September 17, 2025 Bruce Smith The Sturman home was my home-away-from-home through most of my adolescent years. Dr. Sturman brought me into this world and performed my Brit Milah. I guess it starts there. Gladys was not surrogate mother to me, more of a guiding light. I have always thought of her with great fondness and admiration. She was always kind and loving to me, even though the craziness that permeated the Sturman household courtesy of David, Elliot, and Deborah fighting with one another—not at all times to be fair—could put her a “bit” on edge, I always tried to be the perfect guest, and perhaps that helped her maintain some sense of sanity, though I don’t know to be honest. Several years ago, I wrote a letter to Gladys, recalling old times, but mostly to say, “thank you”. Thank you for everything you ever did for me, for every kindness you showed me, and for opening your home to me, which served as a refuge from the turbulence that was my life in my own family’s home. I told Gladys, that giving me an early Bar Mitzvah gift of a tape recorder so I could practice my Maftir and Haftorah, I might not otherwise have had a Bar Mitzvah, as I was unmotivated to learn what I needed to by other means. I think that is what stands out most in my mind, to this very day. Hashem has blessed me with a very good memory, and I have so very many recollections of life with the Sturman’s, at both their Woodland Hills home with the Pierce College orange orchard at the back fence, as well as the Calabasas home. What stands out in my mind most in memory of Gladys is that she always gave me a big “hello” and was always kind and generous to me. That was a blessing. May her memory be for a blessing. Love, Bruce Smith (Brucie)