Orin Lehman

Mr. Lehman is the son of Mrs. Evelyn Schiffer Lehman of Deal, N.J., and of the late Allan S. Lehman, philanthropist and partner in Lehman Brothers. A graduate of the Taft School and Princeton University, Mr. Lehman holds M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from New York University. During World War II as an Army artillery‐observer pilot, he lost one leg and partial use of the other, and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Mr. Lehman is the producer of the current Off Broadway show, “The Effect of Gamma Rays on the Man in ‐ the ‐ Moon, Marigolds.” He was co‐producer with the Circle in the Square of Jules Feiffer's “Little Murders,” and “The White House Murder Case.” He is chairman of the board of the Colgreene Broadcasting Company and is on the board of directors of the Educational Broadcasting Corporation. He has been on the history faculty of N.Y.U., and the New School for Social Research, and is chairman of the board of trustees for the New School as well as a trustee of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He founded and is chairman of the board of Just One Break, Inc., an organization aiding handicapped persons, and formerly published five newspapers in upper New York State. He has been active in politics and was a candidate in the Democratic primary in 1965 for City Controller. In 1966 he ran unsuccessfully on the Democratic ticket to fill the Congressional seat vacated by Mayor Lindsay. In 1975, Gov. Hugh L. Carey offered Mr. Lehman the job of Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation which he accepted. 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 is vice president of the American Jewish Committee, and is a member of the Public Advisory Board, Economic Cooperation Administration and of the National Advisory Council on Vocational Rehabilitation, and was executive director of the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation. His previous marriage, to the former Jane Bagley, was terminated by divorce. They had a daughter, Susan. He 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.