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9:30 p.m., Dec. 12, 2002--Mr. Lerner, who served as chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of MBNA Corp. and chairman and owner of the Cleveland Browns, died Oct. 23, 2002.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mr. Lerner was the only son of Russian immigrants and grew up in the back of his family’s candy store. He became one of the richest people in America and one of its greatest philanthropists. After graduating from Columbia College in 1955, he served as a pilot in the Marine Corps and then sold furniture in New York, Baltimore and Cleveland. He later moved into real estate and banking, becoming chairman and chief executive of the MBNA Corp. In 1998, he brought pro football back to Cleveland by buying the newly formed Browns, which began play in the National Football League the next year. He became an important figure among N.F.L. owners, serving as chairman of the league’s finance committee.
Mr. Lerner’s philanthropic interests included medical research and educational causes. Shortly before his death, he was quoted as saying, “I love helping people. It vindicates what I have been working for all these years.” Last June, he and his wife gave $100 million to the Cleveland Clinic, and earlier he contributed $25 million to his alma mater for a student-activity center. He also created the Cleveland Browns Hero Fund, which provides financial aid to survivors of rescuers killed in the World Trade Center terrorist attack.
His honors included the Alexander Hamilton Medal, Columbia College’s highest honor; the NAACP Freedom Award; and the Horatio Alger Award.
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