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Edward M. Oberman, accountant, triathlete

When he was in his 30s, Edward M. Oberman, a certified public accountant, found he needed something to get him through tax preparation seasons.

Edward M. Oberman
Edward M. ObermanRead more

When he was in his 30s, Edward M. Oberman, a certified public accountant, found he needed something to get him through tax preparation seasons.

He chose getting in shape for triathlons.

"So he gets up very early, trains, goes to work," said his wife, Lee Ann. "Then he got hooked on the health benefits.

"It became a way of life."

A typical race might consist of swimming 400 to 500 yards, cycling 12 to 15 miles, and running three miles, according to the website www.active.com/triathlon.

Mr. Oberman dismissed the idea of jogging, his wife said, "because it's boring."

On March 9, Mr. Oberman, 50, of Sewell, who she said competed in more than 50 triathlons, died of cancer at home.

Born in Stamford, Conn., Mr. Oberman graduated from Rippowam High School in 1982 and earned a bachelor's degree in accounting at Widener University in 1986, where he was a member of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity.

As a certified public accountant, Mr. Oberman began his career with a firm in Darien, Conn., moved to the Stamford office of the former Price Waterhouse firm, and then transferred to its Philadelphia office.

In 1991, he opened his own accounting firm in Turnersville, Edward M. Oberman CPA, added financial planning 15 years ago, and sold it to partners in January.

Two weeks before he had the pain that signaled cancer in 2014, his wife said, he competed in his last event, the Escape the Cape Triathlon.

It began, she said, with competitors "jumping off the Cape May ferry."

Mr. Oberman also competed in four Tough Mudder events, she said, which required teams to deal with obstacle courses.

He coached and sponsored girls' softball teams on which his daughters played "from when they were 5 years old until they were 16," his wife said. He helped fund basketball and softball teams in the Washington Township Division of Parks and Recreation.

And he took part in a program of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, to interest students in the career.

A member of Temple Emanuel in Cherry Hill, he was a former treasurer of the Washington Township Chamber of Commerce.

Besides his wife, Mr. Oberman is survived by son Daniel and daughters Jennifer and Sarah.

A visitation was set from 1:15 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at Platt Memorial Chapels, 2001 Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill, before a 2 p.m. funeral service there, with burial in Locustwood Memorial Park, Cherry Hill.

Donations may be sent to www.givingpages.upenn.edu/battlefordad.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.plattmemorial.com.