Who is Ted Lerner' wife, Annette M. Lerner? All you need to know about the late Nationals' owner's spouse

Ted Lerner, who was the first and only private owner of the Washington Nationals, has passed away from pneumonia at the age of 97. He is remembered for his contributions to the state of pro baseball in the American capital.

Lerner was born in Washington DC in 1925. His mother came from Lithuania, while his father was originally from Mandatory Palestine. Both were facing difficulties in their homelands and met after each had emigrated to the United States separately.

Lerner was interested in baseball in his youth when he served as a typist in the US Military during World War II after his graduation from George Washington University. He sold homes part-time while he was a student, foreshadowing his future empire.

In 1951, Ted Lerner married Annette, who also grew up in Washington DC. Together, they had three children: Mark, Debra and Marla. At the time of his passing, Ted Lerner and his wife had nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

"Proud to give one of the first copies of #42faith to Ted & Annette Lerner, owners of @Nationals -- have a wonderful season #Natitude" - Ed Henry

As of 2023, Annette is 86 years old, making her about 11 years younger than her late husband. She is very active with the Washington Nationals For Dreams Foundation, which aims to provide baseball infrastructure and training programs to underprivileged youth within Washington DC.

Annette was mainly a home maker while Ted was out earning money. Although the pair lived very modestly when they first met, things began to change rather quickly for the family.

Lerner founded Lerner Enterprises with a $250 loan the year after he and Annette were married. He spent most of the next six decades transforming his small commercial outfit into a real estate empire.

After the Washington Nationals moved to DC from Montreal in 2005, the MLB was looking for suitors. In May 2006, a deal was finalized that handed Lerner the team for roughly $450 million.

During his tenure with the Nationals, Lerner hired former Atlanta Braves president Stan Kasten. Kasten was a personal friend of Lerner and was instrumental in building the dominant Braves team in the late 1990s.

"Ryan Zimmerman’s tribute to Ted Lerner. Classy as always #TalkNats" - Washington DC Sports News

Lerner retired from his role as managing owner in 2018, the year before the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in the 2019 World Series. Following Ted Lerner's death on Feb. 12, 2023, it was announced that his son Mark would continue to work as the managing owner of the team.

The Washington Nationals are still firmly in the control of Ted Lerner's family

Although the patriarch of the family has passed, the family will still retain control of the team, who is in the midst of a rebuild. Ted Lerner's time at the helm saw the drafting and development of superstars like Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg. Now, it is time for his son to live up to his father's name.