Mr. Joel A. Stern of Kildeer

Joel Stern, 67, Kildeer, Illinois, passed away peacefully on May 21, 2026, in Lake Forest, IL after a courageous six-year battle with kidney cancer. Joel was born on October 24, 1958, in Shaker Heights, Ohio to Myron and Chialeen Stern and was the youngest of three boys. He grew up proud of his Ohio roots and remained a loyal Cleveland Browns fan through every heartbreaking season. He shared a close bond with his brothers throughout his life and was preceded in death by his parents and his middle brother, Mitchell Stern. He is survived by his older brother, Eric Stern. Joel built a distinguished career as a corporate lawyer and leader. He spent much of his career at Accenture, where he served as Deputy General Counsel and COO of the Accenture Legal Group. He later served as CEO of the National Association of Minority and Women-Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF), where he was a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and opportunity within the legal profession. Throughout his career, Joel was deeply committed to mentoring others and helping people grow both personally and professionally. While Joel accomplished much professionally, one of the most meaningful chapters of his life began after his diagnosis with Stage IV renal cell carcinoma in 2020. Joel chose not only to fight relentlessly for himself, but to dedicate himself to helping others facing the same battle. He became a advocate, educator, mentor, and source of hope within the kidney cancer community. Joel served on the Board of Directors for both the Kidney Cancer Association and the Judy Nicholson Foundation, where he worked to support patients and families navigating kidney cancer. He founded an online Facebook support community that connected and uplifted people, frequently wrote and spoke on renal cell carcinoma topics, and became a trusted resource for many patients and caregivers searching for guidance and hope. In 2025, Joel published his book, My Journey with Stage IV Renal Cell Carcinoma: How to Make the Most of a Dire Diagnosis, sharing his wisdom, resilience, and determination to help others live fully. Even during the hardest moments of his illness, Joel continued showing up for others with honesty, compassion, humor, and strength. Outside of his professional and advocacy work, Joel was an avid tennis player who cherished the friendships and community he built through the sport over many years. Above all else, Joel loved his family deeply. He is survived by his beloved wife, Donna; his daughters, Brittany, Amanda, and Taylor; his son-in-laws, Jason, Ben, and Will; and his cherished grandsons, Aidan, Ollie, and Lucas. His love, guidance, humor, resilience, and unwavering support will be profoundly missed by all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Kidney Cancer Association or the Judy Nicholson Foundation in Joel’s memory. The family has created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories, photos, and videos. For those of you that would have attended services and would like to express your condolences please click on the "Share A Memory" link above and you can leave a message. If you wish to send a Sympathy Card, please feel free to send it to Morizzo Funeral Home, 2550 Hassell Road, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, 60169 c/o the Family; we will gladly forward it on to the family. For further information please contact the Morizzo Funeral Directors at 847.752.6444. Arrangements entrusted to Morizzo Funeral Home, Cremation Services and Cemetery Memorials, at 2550 West Hassell Road, (Northeast corner at Barrington Road), Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60169. Morizzo Memorials and Monuments.

Mr. Joel A. Stern of Kildeer

October 24, 1958 - May 21, 2026