K. Lee Lerner. Bio/CV Personal Addendum

Family Background

"It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer."

-- E.B. White, Charlotte's Web.

I married my college sweetheart, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner (widely and affectionately known as "B") was born in Abilene, Texas. Her family lives in the Park Cites (Highland Park and University Park, Texas). A Vanderbilt and Harvard alumna, she remains my frequent media partner.

We raised four talented and capable children, including three daughters Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner J.D., Amanda Wilmoth Lerner, and Adeline (Ellie) Wilmoth Lerner, M.Sci, who, respectively, went on to careers as a lawyer and professor, an artist, and a landscape architect. We have one son, Lee Wilmoth Lerner, Ph.D. who went to become a chief scientist and electrical engineering research professor at GA Tech (GTRI). As of May 2021, we have three grandchildren, Owen Cafferty Lerner, Cary Cafferty Lerner, and Penelope Shipley.

Three of my children are native Texans. The youngest, a native Alabamian. Texas is my home of record. Like many adopted Texans, I had no control over my ancestors (my father was stationed at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital testing early ejection seats when I was born), but I made it to Texas as soon as life allowed.

While research on my paternal family lineage is ongoing, as of March 2022, I have documented multiple direct (e.g., some iteration of great-grandfather or great-grandmother) Mayflower ancestors on both maternal and paternal sides. One of those ancestors, Stephen Hopkins also lived and worked in the Jamestown colony prior to becoming a guide for the Mayflower passengers. On my maternal side, I have documented eight direct ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War as patriots for American independence and five direct ancestors who fought in the U.S. Civil War (four for the Union, one for the Confederacy). Direct ancestors also served in the War of 1812, WWII, and during the Korean conflict.

My direct ancestors serving as patriot soldiers in the Revolutionary War: Andrew Emminger (1755-1839), Adam Nicely (1730-1826), James McClatchey (1729-1808), Jehiel French (1732-1813), Seth Gray, (1737-1824), George Wertz (1745-1798); John Craig (1755-1813) and George LeFevre (1739-1820), an officer (ensign/ lieutenant) and color bearer under Gen. George Washington. To honor these Revolutionary War Ancestors, I am a member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)

Ancestors serving for the Union Army in the U.S. Civil War were: John Wesley Paine (1843-1919), a veteran of Gettysburg and survivor of the Belle Island Confederate Prisoner of War Camp; Michael C Emminger (1842-1930), who survived imprisonment at the infamous Andersonville Confederate Prisoner of War Camp; Isaac P Anderson (1812-1881), and Samuel Henry Harrison Craig (1821–1893), who served along with his two sons. James Hiram Courson (1820-1902) served as an officer in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee, including major battles at Antietam (Sharpsburg) and Gettysburg.

Early Background

In my youth, and into college, I was a competitive athlete. As a prep athlete, I played football (tight end and safety) and baseball as a switch-hitting catcher and first baseman). As an AAU amateur athlete, I swam for North Baltimore Aquatic Club (NBAC) in Maryland in its earliest days. I was a sprinter, swimming freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke in long-course and short-course sprint events as well as backstroke or breaststroke on medley relay teams. I'm not sure that it is to my credit as an athlete that I swam for the same club and had some of the same coaches (then just starting out on their careers) who went on to develop Michael Phelps and a cadre of other champions.

On the track, I was also a sprinter competing on relay teams and as a decathlete. I won or placed well at several events at the regional level.

When not in school, I lived in Florida and Texas.

While at school in Maryland, I learned to sail on the Chesapeake Bay just off Annapolis. Since then, sailing has remained a life-long passion. When I was younger, I raced, Now I sail only for pleasure or exploration. Having spent a good deal of my youth in a pool, I now favor open water swims, especially to shore from warm water anchorages of my sailboat Bellissima (Bella).

When I matriculated at Vanderbilt University, following summer drills, I was red-shirted for my freshman year in football so that I could put on the muscle and weight needed to play SEC-level football. After my immersion in academics, and a coaching change the next year I decided to forgo both football and swimming to concentrate on my studies. To some extent I regret that decision, but the young rarely see far down the road.

As I matured physically in college, I began to play both water polo and rugby. My rugby career later including playing on two Texas Rugby Union champion teams and playing with the Dallas Harlequins RFC in the 1979 Pan Am World Rugby Tournament in Hawaii. Well after my active playing days, but still as a member of the club, the Harlequins became a U.S. Rugby Union Super League Team.

Life and Work

I have always tried to integrate life and work and I am thankful for the life and experiences that science, writing and journalism have allowed me. Diverse experiences and two global circumnavigations provide me with a wealth of stories, but two in particular represent notable and extraordinary periods in my life. In retrospect, both experiences were highly influential in shaping my perspectives on many issues.

Those stories, both lightly edited excerpts extracted from 'Taking Bearings' (blogs.harvard.edu/kleelerner/) columns and podcasts published/produced between 1991 and 2021. are available online:

CV_Personal Addendum Navy T-28 engine failure story

https://scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner/k-lee-lerner-biocv-personal-adden...

CV_Personal Addendum Teaching Experience

https://scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner/k-lee-lerner-cv-personal-addendum...

Other Interests

Although I have lived in diverse environments and cultures, from the mountains of Colorado to Cambridge to the 6th Arrondissement in Paris, I still call Texas home. For about half the year I retreat to the rural U.S. Gulf Coast and a home in the bluffs along the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay.

I am an avid sailor, navigating Gulf waters from Mobile Bay to Pensacola Bay. Bellissima (Bella) also serves as an alternate study and place to write when I am in residence at a family home on the Gulf Coast.

I am also a dedicated -- but decidedly non-competitive -- cyclist, I've logged thousands of slow miles cycling along roads in the US and love to cycle in charity events like 'Bo Bikes Bama.' I've also logged thousands of kilometers cycling between Girona and Tossa de Mar in Spain, across Provence between St. Remy and Bonnieux, and in the Po Valley of Italy

In 2010, I struck a blow for all aerodynamically challenged former rugby forwards with a cycling ascent of Mont Ventoux.

More occasional personal interests include quail hunting in Texas and fly fishing in Vermont, North Carolina, and Colorado. I still do a bit of alpine night skiing every few years. A few times a year I feel compelled to brush up on shooting and Krav Maga skills rusting with age. I greatly enjoy an occasional indulgence in a weekend of old-school mechanics required to keep my '76 Triumph Spitfire (a love acquired in college that's on "'till death do us part" footing) on the road and my vintage Triumph motorcycle ready to ride.

When not busy writing books, I like to read them. Preferable with a smooth bourbon or bit of cognac.

In pursuit of good stories, I've twice circumnavigated the globe (in 2008 and again in 2013). I like taking calculated risks, but I gamble only for bragging rights and bottles of wine over robust games of Pétanque.

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[1] This personal addendum consists of lightly edited excerpts extracted from 'Taking Bearings' (blogs.harvard.edu/kleelerner/) columns and podcasts published/produced between 1991 and 2021.

. In 2010, I struck a blow for all aerodynamically challenged former rugby forwards with a cycling ascent of Mont Ventoux.

More occasional personal interests include quail hunting in Texas and fly fishing in Vermont, North Carolina, and Colorado. I still do a bit of alpine night skiing every few years. A few time a year I feel compelled to brush up on shooting and Krav Maga skills rusting with age. I greatly enjoy an occasional indulgence in a weekend of old-school mechanics required to keep my '76 Triumph Spitfire (a love acquired in college that's on "'till death do us part" footing) on the road and my vintage Triumph motorcycle ready to ride.

When not busy writing books, I like to read them. Preferable with a smooth bourbon or bit of cognac.

In all things, I aim to be colorful.

Cheers,

K. Lee Lerner

kleelerner@alumni.harvard.edu