Dr. Richard "Dick" M. Lehman

Dick died peacefully on November 20, 2022, at his home on Kiawah Island, SC with his wife, Sylvia Lehman, and oldest child, Alison Lehman McAvoy and her husband Mike McAvoy by his side. Dick was born in 1938 in Philadelphia to Dr. and Mrs. James A. Lehman. He attended William Penn Charter School for 12 years graduating in 1955. He loved being there and excelled in academics and sports. He won the Philadelphia City wrestling championship at 138 lbs. his senior year with an undefeated record and played varsity football. During his school years, he learned to love riding horses and paddling canoes at summer camp in New Hampshire and maintained those pastimes throughout most of his life. He loved reminiscing about the summers he worked as a laborer for Kelly for Brickwork and parking cars at the Atlantic City Racetrack. Following Penn Charter, he went to Princeton, and left after 3 years to go to Temple Medical School where he trained to be a neurosurgeon. After graduating medical school, he did a surgical internship at Bellevue Hospital, NY. Subsequent to the year-long internship, he returned to Temple for a residency in neurosurgery with Dr. Michael Scott. During these years, Dick served in the Army National Guard and trained at Ft. Dix, NJ.  In 1967, Dick did a fellowship at the McGill University Neurological Institute in Montreal. He then joined his mentor, Dr. Axel Olsen in private practice and on staff at Hahnemann Medical School in Philadelphia. In 1972, Dick and his family moved to Williamsport, PA where he established a private practice and conducted satellite clinics in neighboring counties for 8 years. In the mid 1970s, Dick began running with good friend and coach Peter Clark and completed marathons in Asbury Park, NJ, Washington, DC, and New York City and qualified for the Boston Marathon which he ran in 1979. During the same time period, Dick decided to go to a climbing school at Mt Ranier. This experience led him to sign on to an expedition to climb Mt. Denali. After multiple trips to Alaska, Dick became enamored with the 49th state and moved to Anchorage, AK where he established a private practice in 1980. In 1990, Dick spent a sabbatical year at the McGill University Neurological Institute in Montreal studying movement disorders. The experiences during his sabbatical led Dick to accept a professorship at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center at Rutgers University in 1991. He retired from this position in 2009, but remained professionally active into his late 70s' by serving as a sabbatical replacement at the Medical University South Carolina in Columbia, SC.  and teaching medical students at the Medical University South Carolina in Charleston, SC.

Dick's passion was neurosurgery; he was dedicated to his craft and serving his patients. He gained national acclaim through keeping up with the latest in all areas of neurosurgery. He was an accomplished horse rider and rode in many events in Pennsylvania and Alaska as well as trail riding on his beloved horse, Willy. He was active throughout his life, particularly running and hiking. Before and after retirement, Dick had a "daily schedule of activities" to keep him busy. He enjoyed going to the beach for swims, body surfing, riding bikes, and walking his canine companions. A typical day in retirement meant the gym and swim routine, followed by a coffee and phone calls to friends and family, and a walk on the beach with his dog. High points were going to the symphony in Charleston, a Carolina Panthers game in Columbia, or interviewing prospective area students who had applied for admission to Princeton. Dick anticipated visits with his six grandchildren and two step-grandchildren. In between work and leisure activities, Dick could invariably be found sitting with a copy of the latest Journal of Neurosurgery on his lap, and occasionally resting his eyes.

Dick is survived by his wife, Sylvia Lehman, his brother Dr. James Lehman (Toni) and sister Suzanne Webster, his children Alison McAvoy (Mike), Michael Lehman (Grace), and Jennifer Rhulen (Harry) and their mother, Judy Lehman; six grandchildren: Zoe, Jon, Max, Jeffrey, Alexa Rose, and Samuel; and two stepchildren, Gina (Michael) and Jay (Lena) and their children, Logan and Sydney.  

Cards may be sent to: Mrs. Sylvia Lehman at 182 Belted Kingfisher Rd., Kiawah Island, SC 29455.

In lieu of flowers you may donate to Alzheimer’s research or St. Jude’s.