Abe was born in Harbin, China, immigrated at 18 with his family to Israel where he studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In the US, he earned his PhD at Harvard. He was known throughout his career for his work in geochemical cycles, his gift for languages, and his ability to talk about everything to everybody. His home base was the Geology Department of Northwestern University where he collaborated with many scholars throughout the US, Canada, Europe, and Israel.
Abe is survived by his brother Zvi Lerman of Shoresh, Israel; his ex-wife and friend, Zafra Lerman, of Evanston; and his partner, Kare Berg, of Evanston. His daughter, Michal Lerman Kupferman, predeceased him in 1992. He leaves behind many colleagues, friends, and extended relatives who smile when they think of Abe.
A graveside funeral is planned for Friday, October 10 at 10 am at Memorial Park Cemetery, Skokie. All are welcome.
