Maynard "Gene" Lerner died May 12, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV, two weeks before what would have been his 93rd birthday.

Gene was born May 26, 1931 in Lampman, Saskatchewan to Rochas "Robert Cook" Lerner and Magdalena Leona Glaser. Shortly after prohibition ended in 1933, the Lerners, including older brother Bob and younger sister Joyce, moved from Saskatchewan to Harvey, North Dakota where a feral Gene (as he would have described himself) attended school for a time, deciding he'd learned enough by the ninth grade.

In 1948, Gene followed brother Bob into the Air Force and was trained as a jet engine mechanic. After his initial stint was up, Gene was asked to re-enlist, which he did, with his condition that he be allowed to enter the officer candidate program, and the Air Force's condition that he earn a General Education Diploma (GED).

Gene married Margaret Elizabeth "Peggy" Biever in 1957 at Harvey's St. Cecilia Catholic Church. He became a B-52 pilot and was stationed at Mountain Home Air Force base near Boise, ID, where daughter Sally was born in 1961; Minot Air Force base, where sons Steve and Shawn were born in 1962 and 1963; and Castle Air Force base in California. Gene served two tours in Viet Nam and in 1974 was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, WA. Gene retired from the Air Force in 1980 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and a total of 6,622 hours flying B-52s and 7,602 flying hours overall, impressive numbers at the time.  During his years of service, Gene was awarded the "Pilot of the Half Year" for outstanding safety maneuvers and "The Lyman Delameter Heroic Award for Achievement in a B-52," among other awards and honors.

After retirement from the Air Force, Gene worked as an FAA certified powerplant mechanic and inspector into his 80's. He typed his 100+ page memoir, "The Life and Times of Maynard Gene Lerner" on a Tandy 1000A computer sometime in the 1980-1990 period and later self published it in a limited number of books for his family to enjoy. Gene liked to keep busy and didn't know what to do with free time. He was known as an inventor of sorts and worked both metal and wood lathes to create furniture, lamps, and various automobile enhancements. In his later years he favored working in mediums featuring copper tubing, prescription pill bottles, and other "found treasures."

Peggy Lerner was the love of Gene's life. After her passing in 2016, Gene relocated to Las Vegas to be near daughter Sally and her husband Craig Galati and their two sons Corin (recently married to Emily Brecher and residing in Boston, MA) and Carson (residing in Las Vegas, NV). Gene's third grandchild, Margaret "Daisy" Lerner (residing in Seattle, WA) is the daughter of Steve Lerner and Paige Stockley.

Gene was a raconteur who loved telling stories of his wild youth and Air Force career. At age 13, Gene and a buddy ran away from home to go to China to help with the war effort. Their journey from Middle of Nowhere, ND to China lasted two days and ended 200 miles west of Middle of Nowhere, ND, but the story lived on well past its expiration date.  In another series of tales, Gene described his unrestrained questioning of authority – not a great strategy for promotion in the Air Force – resulting in Gene working a record number of KP shifts during the early part of his service.  Yet he loved being in the Air Force more than anything and would have stayed in longer than his 29 years but for a miscalculation in completing his retirement paperwork. He regretted that mistake for a long time.

Gene will be buried next to Peggy in St. Cecilia Catholic Cemetery, Harvey, ND at noon on June 22, 2024, with full military honors. Hertz Funeral home is handling the arrangements in Harvey, ND and Palm Mortuary handled the arrangements in Las Vegas. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Central Dakota Food Pantry, 708 Alder Ave, Harvey, ND 58341 in memory of Gene's lifelong love for North Dakota and its residents.