Laurel Lerner

November 26, 1938 – March 24, 2026

Laurel Lerner, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away on March 24, 2026, at the age of 87. Born on November 26, 1938, at Albany Medical Center during a blizzard, Laurel was raised in Catskill, New York, where she graduated from Catskill High School in 1956. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Childhood Education from Boston University in 1960. She most recently resided in East Windsor, New Jersey.

A Life in Music

Music was the heartbeat of Laurel’s life. She began playing piano at the age of three, a passion she never outgrew. In her younger years she performed as a singer at many weddings and celebrations, and her love of music extended to the oboe, bass, and guitar as well. For over five decades, from 1970 until 2026, Laurel shared that gift as a piano teacher, guiding more than 100 students and leaving an enduring musical legacy in the lives of each of them.

Career and Service

From 1983 to 2010, Laurel served as an administrator in the Graduate Physics Department at Princeton University. To the graduate students who passed through that department, she was far more than a colleague; she was a steady, warm presence who offered personal and emotional support to students navigating the rigors of their programs. Many of them regarded her as a second mother. Among her proudest achievements at Princeton was organizing the annual Physics Department Recital, a tradition she sustained for over thirty years and one that students embraced and looked forward to every year.

In her later years, Laurel dedicated herself to volunteer work at CMAP (Center for Modern Aging) in Princeton, where she contributed to the Seniors for Seniors and Grandpals programs, and provided assistance and companionship to fellow seniors at the main desk.

A Tender Heart for Animals

Laurel had a deep and tender love for animals, especially dogs. Over the years she cherished her dogs Giddy, Joshua, and Peter, and her cat Danny. She delighted in her many grandogs and, in a small daily ritual that those who knew her will always remember, she fed the squirrels on her porch.

Family and Friends

Laurel was the daughter of Philip and Edna Lerner. She is survived by her sister, Carol Lubetsky of Cambridge, Massachusetts (whose husband, Jacob Lubetsky, predeceased her). Carol and Laurel remained extraordinarily close throughout their lives, sharing a bond deepened by years of singing together. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Arlene Lerner, widow of her brother Jerold Lerner.

Laurel is survived by her two children: her daughter Joanne Wagman (James) of Catskill, NY, and her son Adam Ziskind (Zaza Chilvers) of Stamford, CT. She was a devoted and joyful grandmother to Zachary Wagman of Brooklyn, NY, Isabel Ziskind of Brooklyn, NY, and Rachel Wagman of New York, NY.

She is also survived by her nephews Ben Lubetsky of Belmont, Massachusetts, and Peter Lubetsky of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and their families.

Laurel was predeceased by her brother Jerold Lerner, and by her dear cousins Martin Lerner, Joan Greenberg, and Robert Lerner.

Among Laurel’s most treasured relationships were those she cultivated across a lifetime. Her childhood friends Deanna Maneker and Irene Kaplan remained connected to her heart. And for over 45 years, her closest friend Jeanne Schechter was a constant source of love and companionship. Beyond those named here, Laurel touched the lives of countless dear friends of all ages and walks of life, each of whom was made to feel seen, valued, and loved by her.

Memorial Service

Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Chapels

44 Wilson Avenue, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Family and friends welcomed beginning at 1:15 PM

Service at 2:00 PM

A reception will follow the service.

In Lieu of Flowers

In memory of Laurel’s dedication to her community and her love of animals, donations may be made to: Center for Modern Aging (CMAP): cmaprinceton.org/donate ASPCA: aspca.org, or your local humane society

“She gave her music freely, her kindness endlessly, her love without condition, and a warm heart to every creature she met.”