MORTON LEDERMAN

LEDERMAN, Morton Passed away on August 10, 2016. Morton was from Dorchester and lived in Brighton for the past forty years. For fifty years Mort worked as the director of General Services at the Jimmy Fund Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Scores of technicians, doctors, and nurses attended his infamous orientation meetings where Mort displayed his incredible knowledge and affection for the facility as well as his unique sense of humor. Throughout the years at Dana Faber Mort served many functions including being host to many visiting dignitaries including John Wayne, President Reagan, Ted Kennedy, Ted Williams, Danny Kaye, and Muhammad Ali.

Mort was a gifted athlete who excelled at squash and tennis. He started to play tennis at Franklin Field and was a ranked amateur tennis player and a proud member of the United States Professional Tennis Association. A devoted student of the game he not only taught many of his own students but also conducted seminars for other teaching professionals. He taught every summer at the Fessenden School patiently instructing students on every element of the game. He encouraged all of his family members to play and taught most of them. He was equally committed to weekend warriors and to young aspiring athletes, many of whom went on to have successful tennis careers at college. To Mort it was always about the game of tennis and throughout his life playing or teaching tennis gave him the most joy.

Mort enjoyed classical music as well as Tin Pan Alley and Broadway. As a young man he performed in summer stock theaters including Banner Lodge in Connecticut, where he performed with one of his heroes, the great Zero Mostel. Mort could impersonate many celebrities and could double talk in different foreign languages. At family gatherings the highlight was always when Mort took the stage and did his "act" which always left the crowd roaring its approval.

Mort maintained a close group of lifelong friends with whom he enjoyed traveling to the Caribbean in the winter and Nantucket in the summer. He was close to his nieces and nephews and was like a second father to Michael and Robbie Foster, the sons of his closest friends, Mel and Julie Foster of Newton. He was the son of the late Joseph and Frances Lederman, and brother of the late Thelma Goldberg. Morton is survived by his sister, Lillian Zack of Sherborn and by many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, two great-great nieces, numerous friends, students, and former students. A unique, talented, intelligent, and humorous man, he will be sorely missed by all. He was a man that words can't adequately describe. You had to experience Morton to fully appreciate his magnitude. When we think of Morton Lederman, it will always bring a smile to our faces. Graveside service will be at Shara Tfilo Cemetery, 776 Baker Street, West Roxbury at 1:00 PM on Monday August 15, 2016. Memorial observance will be at the home of Arthur and Beverly Zack of Sherborn, Monday from 3 to 8 PM, and Tuesday from 3 to 8 PM. Donations in Morton's memory may be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168.

Schlossberg-Solomon Chapel

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781-828-6990