Edward Lerner

December 23, 1932 – December 25, 2024

Edward Lerner, 92, beloved husband and father, dedicated educator, textbook author and editor, and community leader, passed away peacefully at home in the Linden Ponds retirement community on December 25, 2024, with his wife of 64 years, Joan Bryan Lerner, by his side.

Born in Boston, Ed was the third son of immigrants from tsarist Russia and came from a distinguished rabbinical lineage that spanned thirteen generations. His family history was marked by tragedy when his great uncle, the last rabbi in the line, was killed by tsarist forces in one of the many pogroms that marked the early 20th century in what is now Ukraine. 

After growing up in Dorchester and graduating from Boston Latin School in 1950, Ed won a scholarship to attend Harvard College. After college, Ed served in the Army (Airborne), where he ran troop education programs and found his passion for teaching. He later attended Harvard Graduate School of Education on the G.I. Bill, where he met his future wife, Joan Bryan. Their marriage, though initially met with resistance from Ed's family who preferred he marry within the Jewish faith, proved to be a lasting and loving union—ultimately embraced by Ed’s brothers, with whom he remained close for the rest of their lives.

Ed's career in education was distinguished and varied. He taught nearly every grade from kindergarten through college in Newton, MA and Scarsdale, NY, and served as a textbook editor for IBM's educational division in Chicago. He later became Executive Editor of Social Studies at Macmillan Publishing in New York, before returning to Massachusetts as the Coordinator of Social Studies in the Newton Public Schools. His professional achievements included two Fulbright Summer Fellowships, one to Israel and one to Egypt; authorship of numerous educational materials including "Cultural Conflicts," and service on a White House Blue Ribbon Commission for Schools. 

The Lerners found their spiritual home in the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton (FUUSN), where they raised their two daughters and forged lifelong friendships. Fellow congregants remember Ed as "a winning, steadfast, and all-around great guy" who "exemplified everything that our congregation stands for." His gentle nature, kind spirit, and authentic interest in others made him a beloved member of the FUUSN community, where he and Joan bridged their different religious backgrounds and found many ways to lead work for justice and human rights, including the local resettlement of a Vietnamese refugee family. Ed served in various roles at FUUSN, including as a member of the Board of Trustees.

Throughout his life, Ed was deeply committed to civic engagement, social welfare, and environmental preservation. He co-authored the founding statement of Educators for Social Responsibility, served on the Newton Human Rights Commission, and was active in numerous organizations promoting multicultural education. His work in Middle East studies included organizing the first Palestinian-Israeli conference for area teachers and conducting workshops on Arab culture. From his own family’s experience of living the American dream, he embraced and worked for progressive causes as a feminist, Democrat and believer in civil rights, labor rights and the necessity of compassion, respect and justice for all. 

In retirement, Ed and Joan built their dream house in Centerville on Cape Cod, which they enjoyed for a decade before moving to the Linden Ponds retirement community in Hingham, MA. Throughout their lives, Ed and Joan cherished friendships, community, lifelong learning activities, and time with family.

Ed is survived by his beloved wife, Joan Bryan Lerner; his daughters Elizabeth Lerner Maclay (Tim Maclay), Senior Minister at the First Unitarian Church of Providence in Rhode Island; and Jennifer Lerner (Brian Gill), Thornton F. Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy, Management, and Decision Science at Harvard University; grandchildren Siena Lerner-Gill, Alex Maclay, and Rachel Maclay. Ed was predeceased by his older and beloved brothers, Saul and Warren Lerner.

Ed will be remembered as a loving husband and father, an innovative educator, and a pillar of his community. A memorial service and reception will be held Sunday, January 5th, at 3:30 PM at the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, 1326 Washington Street, West Newton. The service will also be broadcast live on Zoom. Memorial contributions can be made in Ed’s honor to the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton.