Dr. Richard Aaron Lehrer

On Wednesday, April 16, we bid farewell to our husband, father, brother, son, and friend, Dr. Richard Lehrer, 63, of Canton, Ohio. He passed peacefully at the Cleveland Clinic, surrounded by his loving family.

While it is impossible to capture such a huge presence in a few words, we will give it a try.

Richard was born on May 1, 1961, in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in Englewood, New Jersey. He attended Brandeis University and received his medical degree at Mt. Sinai Medical School in New York. He pursued his postgraduate career with a fellowship in glaucoma at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and completed his residency in Ophthalmology at the Scheie Eye Institute of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He then completed fellowship training in Cornea and Glaucoma at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

In his professional life, Rich was an ophthalmologist at Ohio Eye Alliance, performing thousands of sight-restoring surgeries, improving the lives of countless patients. He served as the medical director of Surgery Alliance. He served as president of the medical staff and chair of the surgery department at Alliance Community Hospital. He was also on staff at Aultman Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, Vista Surgical Center, and the Surgical Hospital at Southwoods in Boardman.

Volunteerism was very important to Rich. He was an active member first in the Alliance Chapter of the Lions Club and later in the Jackson Township Chapter, serving as the District Governor for Sight Conservation. In 2010, Rich was the recipient of the Council of Governors Award of Merit. This award is given by the state of Ohio Lions Clubs to persons who, throughout the district, demonstrate outstanding dedication and commitment to the Lions motto, “We Serve.” He also volunteered in Mission Cataract and Glaucoma Cares. He spent countless hours providing free vision screenings in adults and children in Ohio. He was a proud Ambassador for the Glaucoma Research Foundation.

Rich loved food. He enjoyed the entire process, from shopping to cooking to eating. Whether he was preparing a meal, eating something made by someone else, or just watching food TV, he loved all things food-related - especially sharing the experience with loved ones.

Rich was also an avid music and art lover. He enjoyed playing guitar and attending concerts, seeing several shows a year. He loved playing music and singing with his talented friends and family. He appreciated art from all over the world but especially the painting and sculpture by his mother, lifelong artist Theo Meyer (96), that enlivens his home.

An eager traveler, Rich delighted in visiting destinations around the globe. From Hawaii to Italy, Yellowstone to Ireland, he shared his desire to explore with those he loved the most and created treasured memories for us all.

Rich was at his most generous and loving with his family: his wife Debra Lehrer and their sons Nathaniel and Jonathan, their partners Marci and Emma, his mother Theo Meyer, and his sister Alicia Lehrer and her husband Jeff Walker. His love knew no bounds, extending to all of his nieces and nephews and extended family as well. He was truly at his happiest while sharing an adventure or a great meal with those he loved the most. Some of his happiest times were spent at Snowmass, teaching his sons to ski, and with them on golf courses around the world.

We will miss his sense of humor, his sharp intellect, his caring nature, and his great big giant heart.

Shiva will be observed at his home in Canton on Monday, April 21 from 6pm to 8 pm, and at the home of his sister in Rhode Island on Wednesday, April 23 from 7pm to 9pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to:

Jackson Township Lions Club

5166 East Blvd NW

Canton, OH 44718-1214