Edward David Lerman

1949 - 2025

Edward David Lerman

July 30, 1949 - May 23, 2025

Edward David Lerman, beloved husband and father passed away on May 23, 2025.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in Chicago, Ed was the son of Philip and Blossom Lerman and brother to Steven. As a lifelong Cubs fan, in spite of decades of heartbreak he maintained his optimism and sense of humor.

Ed met the love of his life, Golden in 1972, during a job interview at Napa State Hospital. She was on the panel, he was the candidate and through working together they found their future. They embarked on adventures that would define their early years: crisscrossing the country in their VW van, camping on the beaches of Mexico and Hawaii, with Ed sporting an enormous copper-red afro. Ed and Golden raised two children, daughter Samara and son Ben, in a household where curiosity was always encouraged. Both children followed their creative passions into the arts, supported by their father's unwavering belief in their talents and his enthusiastic championing of their dreams. Ed's varied career took him from elementary school teacher, to respiratory therapist, hospital administrator at Sonoma Valley Hospital, and finally to his beloved work as a Contra Costa County public health administrator with Head Start and First 5. There, he found his greatest joy visiting preschool classrooms, where children would greet him with the enthusiasm reserved for the very best grown-ups, running to wrap their small arms around his legs

Ed was a master story and joke teller, drawing listeners deep into what seemed like legitimate current events, only to deliver a spectacularly groan-worthy punchline. His deep love of history, trivia, statistics, geography, geology, and critical thinking made him a constant resource for friends and family, equally ready to discuss the latest medical studies or the intricacies of ancient civilizations.

Ed's Jewish heritage was a source of great pride and informed his commitment to learning, justice, and community throughout his life.

In the pre-smartphone era, Ed served as the unofficial navigator for friends and family across the country, he never forgot a route once traveled. His mental map collection was so comprehensive that people would call him from distant highways, knowing that Ed could guide them home from wherever they'd wandered. He met his death with calm dignity and will surely guide his family and friends to their final home as well.

Ed is survived by wife Golden, children Samara and Ben, and big brother Steven