Somewhere In Time

10/04/2025

LENNY'S MEMORIAL SERVICE
The service was held on August 23, 2025 and was well-attended by many of his loyal friends and customers. The eulogy was delivered by his husband and focused on Lenny's continued presence as a spirit and urged others to strive to connect themselves to God's Spirit and to be sensitive to God's presence and to other spiritual presences in their lives. I want to thank each and every person who attended and those who watched online, as well as those who wished to attend but were unable to do so. Lenny sees all of you.

If you have not seen the service and wish to, it was live-streamed and the video has been preserved on the St. George's Episcopal Church, Maplewood NJ, YouTube web page at: https://www.youtube.com/live/hvy5MUjGp1I
That link will take you directly to the video of the service (which is MISTAKENLY LABELED August 10).

Unfortunately, the words of the hymns that were sung by the congregation are impossible to make out unless you recognize the hymn and know them. However, the titles of the hymns sung are: "Be Thou My Vision" (before the reading of the Gospel), "Be Not Afraid" (following my eulogy and Reverent Grant's remarks), "Here I Am, Lord" (during the offering and before communion), "Just As I Am" (during reception of communion), and "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" (closing hymn). If you wish to watch the service and are bothered by not knowing the words, you may be able to find them online or simply meditate while they are sung.

For those who wonder how I am doing three months after Lenny's passing on July 3, I am doing well--encouraged by the presence of Lenny's spirit in my life (my eulogy provides dramatic evidence of that). He is guiding me to move forward with my new life lived (sadly) without his physical presence. I have also been attending two grief support groups that meet monthly on Sundays two weeks' apart from each other, and that is providing much needed support.

This posting will probably be my last, but I do plan to keep this web page actively online for the time being, since there are (STILL) people discovering that Lenny passed over, and if they think to look up the store online, they will be able to read these postings. And to all those who posted their comments, memories, and appreciations of Lenny and good wishes to me, I am (and he is) deeply grateful. I was so moved by the outpouring.

God Bless You All.
Doug Sterner (Lenny's husband for 55 years from 1970-2025)

8/10/25 10 AM Sunday Service, St. George's Episcopal Church in Maplewood, NJ

08/07/2025

LENNY'S MEMORIAL SERVICE
The date for Lenny’s memorial service (beginning in the church and concluding with the burial of his ashes in the Memorial Garden right outside the church) has been set. It will be on Saturday, August 23 at 1:00pm at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 550 Ridgewood Rd., Maplewood, NJ. There is limited parking behind the church; most people who wish to attend will have to park on the street or adjoining side streets. For those who would wish to attend but are unable to do so, the service indoors will be live-streamed online; just search for “St. George’s Episcopal Church Maplewood NJ” on YouTube or “St. George’s Maplewood” on Facebook to select the service and watch it live.

You should know (so you can make your own plans following the service) that there will be no reception or gathering after the service. Following the burial I and immediate family members will be gathering at my home (with limited seating) right after the service. Then in the early evening I will be having a private dinner with my sister and her family who are traveling down from Connecticut to be with me. We will all be grieving Lenny’s loss while celebrating his life and new life in the spirit in our own ways. In the immediate aftermath of the service I have chosen a more private gathering to do so. I enjoyed seeing so many of you in the final days of Lenny's beloved store in Highland Park, and I will always remain grateful for all who come to attend the service--either in person or online--to honor and remember Lenny. And I know Lenny will also. May God bless and be with you all.
- Doug

07/08/2025

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Lenny Paolillo died on the evening of Thursday, July 3. Thankfully, he died peacefully without any struggle and without pain; the expression on his face at his passing was calm and serene.

There will be a memorial service at St. George's Episcopal Church at 550 Ridgewood Road in Maplewood, NJ (the earlier announcement of its being in Millburn was an error). The exact day and time have yet to be determined, but it will most likely be in August (September at the latest). That day and time will be announced here as soon as we can pin it down with the rector of St. George's (who is away this month).

Lenny had an amazing run as the owner and host of Somewhere In Time over the decades. I know he wanted to be there to supervise the closing of the store after he learned his cancer was terminal, but his decline was too rapid for that to be possible. However, I KNOW that he WILL BE THERE in the spirit to rejoice in your presence and to see you at the store one last time.

- Doug

06/30/2025

SOMEWHERE IN TIME Closing

I apologize that nothing has been posted earlier regarding Lenny’s absence from the store for several weeks, but we have been waiting till we had a more definite idea whether and when he would be returning to the store. Lenny was diagnosed with cancer several weeks ago, hospitalized and then continued treatments as an outpatient while receiving some physical and occupational therapy at home. His hope was that he would regain his strength and mobility to enable him to reopen the store (at least for a while). Unfortunately his condition has instead steadily worsened, such that he formally began hospice care at home last week.

So he will be unable to reopen the store, and he is also unable to receive visitors. But he is receiving good care from Overlook’s Atlantic At Home Hospice care. Many of you who have learned of his condition have expressed your heartfelt good wishes and prayers, and those have been and are most appreciated.

Lenny and I are both confident we will one day see each other on the other side, and many of you may be also. In the meanwhile, once he passes he will also live on in this life in the lives of those of us who will cherish our memories of him. He was (and will continue to be) an extraordinary soul whom we have been blessed to know and to love. When the time comes, a memorial service will be announced to be held at the church in Millburn where we were married.

— Doug (Lenny’s partner—eventual husband—for 55 years)

04/08/2025

Here are the new store hours for SPRING/SUMMER 2025 beginning this week (4/8/25):
Tuesday: By Appointment Only
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday: 12:30 - 5:00
Closed on Monday, Wednesday, & Sunday

12/30/2024

Somewhere In Time will be closed New Year’s Eve day and New Year‘s Day. Will reopen Thursday, January 2. Happy New Year!

11/03/2024

Coinciding with the end of Daylight Savings Time my winter hours begin: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday from 12:30 - 4:30.
But this coming week I will be closed on Tuesday for Election Day.

10/08/2024

The store will only be open today, Tuesday, Oct. 8, this week. I will be closed the remainder of the week to deal with family matters in Boston. Will reopen with regular hours next week (Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday 12:30-5:00pm).
Beginning in November & the end of Daylight Savings, the closing time will change to 4:30pm.

06/06/2024

Somewhere In Time will be CLOSED FOR VACATION beginning Saturday, June 8, 2024.
The store will RE-OPEN with regular hours (Tu, Th, Fr,, Sat., 12:30-5:00) on FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2024