Gary Martin Levine
7/3/1966 – 11/1/2015
“Clever,
Caring, Iconoclastic” is how friends and colleagues remember Gary
Martin Levine upon his passing in Medina, OH after a brief illness. His
sharp wit, keen intelligence, and loving heart kept us laughing heartily
and thinking creatively, and we are all the richer for it. He is
survived by the wife he loved, Floralyn C. Morata, and the children he
adored—daughter Sonoma Michelle Levine (16) and son Carlos Michael
Levine (12), in addition to his parents and his brother.
Gary
was born in Norfolk, VA to parents Ina Rae Sandler Levine and Robert
Nathan Levine. His family, including sister Dina Michelle Levine
Zauderer (Marvin) and brother Lee Levine (Tracy), moved to Virginia
Beach, VA and Tampa, FL before finally settling in Belvedere, CA, a
suburb of San Francisco.
Early
in life, friends and teachers noted the humor, intelligence, and
literary gifts that would become Gary's hallmarks, both personally and
professionally. His academic journey took him first to UC
Berkeley (B.A. English) then to Washington University in St. Louis (MFA,
Creative Writing) and the U. of Iowa (Ph.D. English). Gary and Floralyn
met as students at Berkeley, where they later married in 1998.
After
a few years in Boston, the Levines relocated to Ohio, where Gary joined
the English Department faculty at Ashland University. At once demanding
and compassionate, dedicated and questioning, Professor Levine made a
lasting impact on students and faculty alike. As Director of the
Composition Program, Gary put heart and soul into helping students find
their voices and hone their ideas in writing. He taught a wide variety courses ranging from British Literature and American Studies to
Literature and Film. And, as one student noted, he could bring humor to
anything, even grammar. His Ashland colleagues speak of Gary’s
commitment to academic rigor, his creative leadership, and his verbal
repartee that livened up every faculty meeting.
Though
Gary lived in his head, as they say, he led with his heart. Nowhere is
this more apparent than in parenting Carlos and Sonoma. He
championed their unique gifts and encouraged their curiosity in
everything from soccer and tennis to science and spelling bees. He
taught them to think for themselves and to love deeply. Friends from all
stages of his life also remember his love and loyalty, served up, of
course, with a side of humor. As a father, friend, spouse and colleague,
Gary Martin Levine was one of a kind, and will be forever missed by
those he loved.
A
memorial service will be held November 14, 2015, at 10 a.m. at the
Ashland University Chapel, Upper Chapel, 527 College Avenue, Ashland,
Ohio.
