Stephen Kerzner, who as the longtime director of the store at Woodmere art museum was an arbiter of fashion and style, and who was beloved in the Northwest Philadelphia area where he shopped, dined out and celebrated holidays with friends who became his chosen family, died of complications from a stroke Nov. 21 at Keystone Hospice in Wyndmoor. He was 74.
“In the 14 years I knew him, I never heard him mention anything about any family members,” said William Valerio, Woodmere's director and CEO. “He was a private person. Out of respect I did not pry. His friends and co-workers were his family. Woodmere was his home. Everybody loved him.”
Kerzner began working at the gift shop as a sales associate, and became the store’s manager when the previous one moved on. Kerzner had such a warm personality and easy way with people that strangers would walk into the store and end up pouring “their heart out to him,” Valerio said. “He was warm, generous, giving, funny, smart, a sweet man, had biting humor and a big personality.” That sharp wit and intellect prompted some to refer to him as “Philadelphia's Truman Capote,” but Kerzner displayed none of the famed writer’s clever cruelty. Instead, Valerio said, Kerzner “wanted to help people feel good about themselves.”
A Philadelphia area native, Kerzner graduated from Cherry Hill West High School in 1967 and the University of Pennsylvania in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in biogenetics. But instead of entering the medical field, he submerged himself in the world of sales and fashion. In aesthetics and the precision of style, Kerzner discovered his charming way of connecting with people.
“It’s not as much about the item as it is about the customer experience,” Kerzner told the Local in an earlier interview. “It comes down to talking to people, listening to people and trying to figure out what they want. And whether you’re selling someone an ultra-pricey cashmere sweater or a $15 pair of earrings, it has to be eye candy.”
At Woodmere, Kerzner sweetly shared his expertise with Valerio on occasions when the store manager thought the CEO needed to polish his style. “He would be at the front desk when I came in in the morning,” Valerio said. “If I had a button unbuttoned, he'd fix me up. Or he'd say something like 'It's about time you bought yourself a new pair of shoes' in a way that made you smile.”
When he wasn’t working, Kerzner volunteered for nonprofits including Face to Face, a social service organization based at St. Vincent’s Church, and the soup kitchen at the First Presbyterian Church, both in Germantown. At the museum, Kerzner also hosted events to raise funds for the Do-Gooders, a 17-year-old local nonprofit that makes small grants to distressed individuals and families.
Bonnie Young, president of the Do-Gooders, called Kerzner “one of the most caring and generous people - even at his own expense.”
“He was so loved,” said Anne B. Standish, director of institutional advancement at Woodmere. “He loved to come to St. Paul's Church on Christmas Eve every year, even though he was Jewish. And he was a fixture at the Christmas pageant. In fact, he spent Christmas with my family for years.”
After joining the museum in 2012, Kerzner retired in 2023. Standish stayed in touch. When Kerzner became ill, his Northwest Philadelphia family pitched in including Kate O'Neill, of the Chestnut Hill Business Association, and the workers at all the places where he regularly shopped and visited. The weekend before he died, Standish got special permission from Keystone Hospice to fulfill Kerzner’s special request. A dog lover, Kerzner wanted Standish to bring her pug Anna to see him. “He loved it!” Standish said.
Nigel Richards, a Chestnut Hill resident, told us, "Stephen Kerzner, my beloved godfather, was a guiding presence in my life for 52 years and a cherished figurehead in our family. His incredible attitude, infectious smile and warm laugh brought joy to everyone around him, and we are profoundly grateful to have been blessed by his love and light."
Regarding a memorial service, Valerio said, “I have asked around to find out if Stephen had expressed his wishes, and so far, nothing. If a friend says he had expressed what he wanted, we will do it. Otherwise, we will organize a memorial service in January after the holidays. People have been calling and asking us about a service so they can express their feelings.”
Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com
