Howie Lerner

In his business career, which spanned 48 years, he ventured from managing his father’s clothing store, Irv Lerner’s of Closter, New Jersey, to insurance and estate planning and then creating his own security system firm which analyzed systems at Indian Point as well as Helmsley properties.

In the last decade he became a commercial real estate consultant and negotiated the sale of mid-sized shopping centers across the tri-state area.

He was known for his superior ability to remain tenacious when dealing with difficult negotiations and was able to find creative solutions because of his sense of fairness and steadfast belief that compromise was a positive tool.

He used his tenacity to improve the community as well. He actively wrote on local issues. Most recently, he advocated for the rights of individual home-owners.

Recently he was interviewed by Sarah Wallace of NBC involving “smart meter” installation and safety.

http://westchester.news12.com/story/37159878/new-city-man-smart-meter-installation-damaged-home

He contacted State Senator David Carlucci who arranged for the information to be publicized. When others would walk away from an issue, Howie would not. If you had a problem, you would want Howard advocating for you. He brought his creative entrepreneurial spirit to his community for the common good. If there was injustice, he fought it.

He regularly donated to local animal shelters and the Lerner backyard continued to be filled with local animal residents that he fed each morning and night. His hobbies included landscape architecture and design and he meticulously designed the landscape at his home.

He will be terribly missed by his loving family: his wife of 41 years, Sheryl, his three children, Rachael Lerner-Schachter of New York, NY, Charlie Lerner of New City, NY, and Jacquee Lerner Friedman of New York, NY and 2 grandchildren, Grayson and Maizie. He is also survived by his brother, Rob Lerner of Washington Township, NJ, his sister, Karen Lerner Hall of Monroe, NY, and his brother, Jeff Lerner of Scottsdale, AZ, sons-in-law Jesse Schachter and Zachary Friedman of New York, NY, brother in law Marc Sidenworm of Thiells, NY and sisters-in-law Shelley Sidenworm of Thiells, NY, Debbie Lerner of Washington Township, NJ and Ruth Lerner of Arizona and nephews Andrew and Spencer Lerner of Washington Township, NJ. Jason and David Lerner of Arizona.

Funeral services will be private.

Those interested in making donations in honor of Howie’s life may be made to Hi-Tor Animal Care Center in Pomona, New York https://www.hitor.org/donate

or Hudson Valley SPCA http://www.hudsonvalleyspca.com/donations..