Donor Profile: Irv Lerner: A Lifelong Activator

Irv Lerner has been making things happen for the Scouts, the sport of riflery and the medical field his entire career. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Irv and his wife Gwen met in high school, and moved out of town to attend college and pursue careers.

Irv started his Scout career as a Cub Scout, following the lead of his 18 months older brother, Don, who is an Eagle Scout and was co-director of waterfront activities at Camp Edgar Friedlander in Loveland, Ohio. Coincidentally, his brother trained in Stillwater, Minnesota on the St. Croix River.

Irv, a Life Scout at age 16, and his brother started a rifle range program at the camp. Irv became the director of the program, which sparked a life-long interest in riflery. Irv credits Scouting as the basis of his successful riflery career, which continues today.

Irv aspired to compete in the Olympics. While he did not make that team, he did participate in the Maccabiah Games, the “Jewish Olympics”, in Israel in 1965 and 1969. His American team won the gold medal in 1965, and Irv won the individual gold in 1969. Irv captained the Yale rifle team and was named a college “All American.”

He earned a B.A from Yale University, an M.D. from Columbia University. He did his medical internship at the University of Minnesota, his medical residency at the Minnesota Veteran’s Administration Hospital and Ancker Hospital, and his medical oncology fellowship at the U of M.

He practiced internal medicine and medical oncology in St. Paul for 35 years, including being a Director of Medical Oncology at United Hospital and a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the U of M. Irv relates that his real interest in medicine was on the human side rather than the scientific.

Gwen attended Smith College and graduated with a B.A. from Barnard College, then earned an M.A. from the U of M. After several years as the registrar at the Walker Art Center she earned her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law and served for many years on the Hamline University Board of Trustees.

Gwen and Irv’s son Scott continued the tradition of attending Scout camp and Cub Scouts, but decided to focus on academics later. He attended Yale and Harvard and is now a professor at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Daughter Joanne, her husband Chris, a lawyer, and their family live in the Twin Cities.

Irv is a member of the Northern Star Scouting President’s Cabinet, and is a steadfast contributor to the Annual Fund. About his and Gwen’s giving to the Scouts, Irv says, “Scouts has always been, is, and surely will continue to be one of the truly outstanding organizations in the formative development of our community’s youngsters.”