Orin Lehman

Orin Lehman
Born January 14, 1920
Manhattan, New York City, New York
Died February 22, 2008 (age 88)
Manhattan, New York City, New York
Cause of death pneumonia
Nationality United States
Education B.A.Princeton University
M.A. and Ph.D. New York University
Occupation Public servant
Known for Commissioner of New York State Office of Parks and Recreation
Spouse(s) Jane Bagley (deceased)
Wendy Vanderbilt (divorced)
Children with Bagley:
--Susan Lehman Carmichael
with Vanderbilt:
--Brooke Lehman
--Sage Lehman
Parent(s) Evelyn Schiffer Lehman
Allan Lehman

Orin Lehman (January 24, 1920 - February 22, 2008) was an American public servant who served as New York State’s longest-serving commissioner of New York State Office of Parks and Recreation.

Biography

Lehman was born to a Jewish family in Manhattan on January 24, 1920, the son of Evelyn (née Schiffer) and Allan Lehman.[1] He was the great-grandson of Mayer Lehman and great-nephew of Herbert H. Lehman, former New York governor and United States senator.[1] In 1942, he graduated with a B.A. from Princeton University.[1] After college, he served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II and was seriously injured during the Battle of the Bulge; he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart.[1] After the war, he helped to establish (along with Eleanor Roosevelt and Bernard Baruch) to start Just One Break, a charity dedicated to helping disabled people find employment.[1] In 1947, Lehman worked as an associate for the family firm, Lehman Brothers.[1] In 1950, President Harry S. Truman appointed him to the advisory board of the Economic Cooperation Administration which administered aid to Europe under the Marshall Plan and then served as United States delegate to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.[1] In 1956, he earned a M.A. in American history from New York University and in 1961, he earned a Ph.D. in American history from New York University.[1] In 1965, he unsuccessfully ran for New York City comptroller in 1965 and in 1966, he unsuccessfully ran for Congress.[1] In 1970, he tried his hand at producing the off-Broadway play The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindel, which won the Pulitzer Prize for best drama.[2] In 1973, he was a member of the New York City Board of Corrections.[1] In 1975, Governor Hugh L. Carey appointed him as commissioner of New York State Office of Parks and Recreation succeeding Robert Moses where he served until 1993.[1]

Personal life

Lenman was married twice. His first wife, Jane Bagley Lehman (granddaughter of R. J. Reynolds), died in 1988;[1] they had one daughter, Susan Lehman Carmichael (born 1965).[3][1] His second wife was Wendy Vanderbilt of the Vanderbilt family, daughter of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt II; they divorced in 1995.[1] They had two daughters: Brooke Lehman (born 1972) and Sage Lehman (born 1975).[1][4] He was in an eight year relationship with comedian Joan Rivers.[5][6] Lehman died on February 22, 2008 of pneumonia at his home in Manhattan.[1] He was survived by his partner, actress Monique Van Vooren.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 New York Times: "Orin Lehman, 88, Parks Steward, Dies" by Dennis Hevesi February 23, 2008
  2. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/1970/04/19/archives/and-gamma-rays-did-it-zindel-and-gamma-rays-did-it.html
  3. ↑ New York Times: "WEDDINGS; Susan Lehman, Trent Carmichael" September 13, 1992
  4. ↑ New York Times: "Sage Lehman, Christopher Ronis" June 6, 2009
  5. ↑ Daily Beast: "Truth to Power Joan Rivers: Our Last Interview" by Tim Teeman September 14, 2014
  6. ↑ New York Magazine: "Joan Rivers Always Knew She Was Funny" retrieved September 25, 2017
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