Roger Neil Lerman

Roger Lerman, 70, a righteous man, suffered fatal injuries from a backhoe accident May 13, 2019. He is preceded in death by his parents Jacob and Jeanne Lerman, his dear Aunt Lo, beloved older brother Marty, close childhood friends Danny Raven and Alan Shapiro. A devoted and loving husband and father, Roger is survived by his wife of 30 years Roberta, and three children Daniel (Paloma), Elie, and Joseph. He is also survived by his brother Steve and sister-in-law Phyllis, his stepmom of 57 years Frances Lerman (104), siblings Joan and Bob, many nieces, nephews, cousins, lifelong friends Neal Gold, Irv Kooris, and John Shapiro. Roger was all about his family, near and far. He stayed in close contact and cared deeply for his many nephews, nieces, and cousins. He attended Baker School Elementary, Belmont Hill School, and graduated from Brookline High School. Roger graduated (almost Cum Laude) from Dartmouth College in 1971 with a BA. He went on to serve in Massachusetts and New Hampshire National Guard after taking basic training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and artillery training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After completing a formal apprenticeship in plumbing, he attended Boston (Evening) Trade School and in 1974 was licensed as a Journeyman Plumber, Gasfitter, and Steamfitter. He became a Master in all three in 1977. Roger spent three years from 1975 to 1977 traveling around the world which included two years in Israel (1 1/2 years on Kibbutz Sdot Yam and 1/2 year in Jerusalem) and three months in Nepal trekking to over 19,000 feet above the base camp area of Mount Everest. Upon returning to Boston Roger was active in building restoration in the Back Bay area of downtown Boston before moving to Taos New Mexico in 1980. Roger loved his Taos community, its mountains, valleys, and acequias. In 1982 Roger became licensed in New Mexico as a Master Plumber and General Contractor/Builder where his development work included condominium projects of Las Casitas (a certified historic restoration), La Buena Vida, and land development projects of Tierra Del Sol, Rancheros de Taos, Straight Arrow Road, and smaller projects in Mountain Valley Acres and Los Cordovas. Roger was always proud of his building and development work - he called upon his plumbing and building skills in a hands-on approach and felt he gave his customers a fair and honest value. He took a couple of years off in the mid-1980s to live aboard a sailboat in the Florida Keys and Bahamas that turned out to be the route to meeting and marrying, 1/8/1989, his lovely and kind (beshert) soulmate, Roberta (only four letters difference between their full names!). He dearly loved their children: Daniel (born 1994 aka Snook), Eliana (born 1996 aka Farzi), and Joseph (born 1999 aka Piper). A true naturalist and outdoorsman, Roger was a consummate beekeeper, birdwatcher, camper and hiker. Always committed to protecting the environment, he was a co-founder of the first recycling center in Taos, Roadrunner Recyclers. A champion of progressive education, Roger helped build and develop Taos Charter School, and stayed involved in building projects at the school long after all his kids graduated. He was active in municipal school issues, working with YES! for Kids! for many years, even running unsuccessfully himself for school board. He also served as President of Citizens for Economic Diversity. Roger was very active with the Jewish Community of Taos during all of his life in Taos. He had a hand in the acquisition and honoring of all three of the Torah Scrolls that are housed at the Taos Jewish Center (TJC). Always a student of Torah, he helped found the Taos Minyan, the TJC, the Shalom Sunday School and the Eretz Shalom Cemetery, the only stand-alone Jewish cemetery in New Mexico, which he developed and managed up until the present. With his love of books, Roger was the Jewish Community Librarian for many years, literally building the bookcases and logging in thousands of books. Roger was an avid and passionate beekeeper since the late seventies, always saying that that is what he enjoyed most. Roger won Blue Ribbon and Best of Show at the State Fair of New Mexico numerous times and taught his skill to many others. A resident of Lower Ranchitos since 1990, he enjoyed other agriculture and ranching activities, keeping goats and chickens, cutting hay and irrigating. Roger was a talented builder and a renaissance man. He would tackle any project, with skill and creativity. His efficient style of building always included passive solar features. Overall, Roger was a man of many skills, a devoted husband and father, a successful businessman and craftsman, a community activist and lover of Torah. And how about those Red Sox? Roger was an avid Boston sports fan, and loved talking sports (and life) with Taos buddies Steve, Gary, Chris, Robert, Mike, Juby, Bruce, Bruce, and all his pals at the swimming pool. Roger was always busy. He loved country dancing with his " spice", beating her at tennis and cards, taking walks, watching movies, sailing on turquoise waters. He loved vacations with his family. He loved discussing sports and photography with Daniel; hiking and talking deeply with Elie; playing chess and talking history with Joe. Roger was honest, and loyal, and strong. A real mensch. He meant so much to so many and he will be so missed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Taos Community Foundation, POB 1925, Taos, NM 87571, The Friends of Taos Charter School, POB 3009, Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557, or the Taos Jewish Center, 1335 Gusdorf Road Suite R, Taos, NM 87571.