MARION ELEANOR IRVINE LEDERER, 91 years, of Canoga Park and Palm Springs, CA. Died April 7, 2011 at Palm Springs Desert Hospital, due to stroke and congestive heart failure. She was born February 10, 1920, to Oliver Bateman Irvine and Eva J. Irvine in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. Marion attended the University of Toronto and UCLA, and married actor/director Francis Lederer in Los Angeles in 1941. Together they served as ambassadors for UNICEF, represented the US Department of State in Czechoslovakia and founded the Canoga Park, California-Taxco, Mexico Sister City Program. After founding the Sister City Program, Mrs. Lederer served on its board of directors and was instrumental in its many years of success. This outstanding program of community and cultural affiliation has received national and international awards. She received the first Errol Newton Memorial Award for the cause of international understanding, the City of Los Angeles Human Relations Award for outstanding volunteer service, and The Board of Trustees of the Motion Picture and Television Fund award for dedicated service. Mrs. Lederer was Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of Los Angeles (1980-1985), a founding member of the American National Theatre and Academy and a member of the executive board of the Women's Auxiliary of the Motion Picture and Television Fund and Screen Smart Set. She was an also an associate of the Braille Institute Desert Center. She is survived by her niece, Ann Charney and family of West Hills, CA, niece, Marion Colburn and family of Thousand Oaks, CA, sister-in-law, Ruby Irvine and family of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, and nephew, Tony Irvine of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was preceded in death by her husband, Francis Lederer, in 2000, her brothers Herbert Irvine of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Christopher Irvine of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, and her sister, Marjory Irvine Honeyford, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Private services are being held. Interment at Forest Lawn Mausoleum in Cathedral City. Donations in Marion Lederer's memory may be made to the Braille Institute Association of the Desert, 70251 Ramon Road, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, or the Motion Picture and Television Fund, 23388 Mulholland Drive Woodland Hills, CA 91364. FOREST LAWN MEMORIAL PARKS & MORTUARIES Published in Los Angeles Daily News on April 20, 2011.