Orin Lehman

LEHMAN--Orin, educator, philanthropist, civil rights advocate and conservationist with a life-long commitment to public service, died February 22, 2008. He died peacefully at home in New York City surrounded by his loving family and friends. The cause of death was pneumonia. Born January 14, 1920, he was 88. He was the son of the late Allan Sigmund and Evelyn Schiffer Lehman, and the brother of the late Ellen Lehman Long. He was the great-grandson of Mayer Lehman, founder of Lehman Brothers investment house, and grandnephew of Herbert Lehman, the former Governor of New York and U.S. Senator. Mr. Lehman grew up in Tarrytown, NY, graduated from the Scarborough and The Taft Schools, Princeton University and New York University where he earned masters and doctorate degrees in American history.In World War II, Lehman was an Army pilot with the rank of Captain. He was badly wounded in Germany during the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. In 1947 he partnered with Eleanor Roosevelt and Bernard Baruch, and founded Just One Break (JOB), whose mission is to find competitive employment for people with disabilities. JOB is the nations's oldest not-for-profit employment service for people with disabilities. Over half a century after founding it, Orin Lehman remained Chairman Emeritus of its board of directors until his death. Mr. Lehman's first public appointment came in 1950 when President Truman appointed him to the advisory board of the Economic Cooperation Administration where he succeeded his great-uncle Herbert Lehman. In 1952, while an associate in the Lehman Brothers firm, he was designated New York City's Outstanding Young Man of the Year by the Junior Chamber of Commerce. While prominently engaged in public life, Lehman explored a variety of careers. He served as an economic adviser to the U.S. mission at the United Nations, became the Chairman of the New York Board of Corrections, and published weekly newspapers. He served as Chairman of the Board of the New School of Social Research for ten years, where he also taught. In the 1970's he produced theatrical plays offBroadway, among them two hits by Jules Feiffer and the Pulitzer Prize winning play "The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" by Paul Zindel. In 1975, Gov. Hugh L. Carey offered Mr. Lehman the job of Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation which he accepted, calling it "The greatest job in the world." He was re-appointed by Governor Mario Cuomo, and by the time he retired in 1993, he had served 18 years as Commissioner, the longest period of any individual in that position. Mr. Lehman understood the value that parks would play not only in lives of New Yorkers, but also their overall benefit to the environment. His highest priority was making parks and open spaces accessible to all, long before it was the fashion and the law of the land. He was loved and respected by state park employees who affectionately called him "Father Nature." During his tenure, the Empire State Summer and Winter Games, Senior Games and Games for the Physically Challenged were created. In addition to his public service, Mr. Lehman lived life to the fullest, playing golf, flying airplanes, and never letting his need for crutches interfere with his active schedule. Mr. Lehman was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the American Jewish Committee, a trustee of the Taft School, where he received the Citation of Merit Award, a director for UNESCO, 1968-1971 (United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization), a director of the Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 1965-1974, a trustee of the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation and a member of The Council on Foreign Relations. He was, until his death, a member of The Century Association in New York City. He was a soft-spoken man with a quiet bearing which belied his sense of humor and fun-loving nature. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family. Mr. Lehman was married to the late Jane Bagley Lehman and is survived by his former wife, Wendy Vanderbilt Lehman, his three daughters, Susan Lehman Carmichael (Mrs. Trent) of Greenwich, CT, Brooke Lehman and Sage Lehman of New York City and his four grandchildren Avery, Haley, Ryan and Whitney Carmichael. His companion Monique Van Vooren and his beloved Boston Terrier, Snookums, also survive him. A Memorial service will be held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel, 1076 Madison Avenue, New York City on Tuesday, February 26th at 5:00pm. The Rabbi Ronald Sobel will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to Just One Break (JOB), 570 Seventh Ave, NY, NY 10018. www.justonebreak.com