Donna Weil Levin

“To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson.

After battling back from many illnesses over the course of the past five (5) years, Donna Weil Levin decided it was time for her to rest and the morning of Tuesday, October 22, 2024, she passed away in her sleep. She was the toughest lady I have ever known.

On January 26, 1941, Bernard and Jennie Weil welcomed into this world their first and only daughter, Donna Fay Weil. She was raised in New Orleans, on Octavia Street to be exact. She graduated from Isidore Newman High School and then later in her adult life earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Loyola University. After a brief stint in Dallas, Texas, in 1979 Donna returned to her roots of New Orleans with her children to begin a new chapter in her life. It was not long after her return to the city she loved that she met Eliot Simon Levin. They married in 1981 and would spend the next 38 years sharing their eventful life together until his death in 2019.

Donna was a lover of all sports. It all started with attending New Orleans Pelicans baseball games (the former AA baseball team) at the old Pelican Stadium with her dad. Her love for sports just blossomed from there. She especially loved all the New Orleans sports teams. Attending games to watch the New Orleans Pelicans (basketball this time), Tulane football, basketball and baseball games. Although she loved all sports, football was her passion. She was especially proud to be a season ticket holder of the New Orleans Saints since 1987. Later in life when she could no longer attend games in person, she would spend her Saturdays and Sundays glued to the TV watching any every game of any sport that she could find, although her favorite team to watch besides the Saints was the Alabama Crimson Tide. Yes, I know mom “Roll Tide”.

Equal to her love of sports was her love of animals. It all started with King Roman her childhood dog, then continued throughout the remainder of her life with Rusty, Gizmo, Deuce, Puddy and then finally Elie Cat, the only cat she ever loved. To the very end Elie kept her company, made her laugh, smile, and even kept her on her toes by meowing as she passed her room every morning for breakfast and every evening for dinner, just as a subtle reminder that it was time to get up and feed her. Elie already misses her.

Donna is preceded in death by her husband, Eliot Levin; her parents, Bernard and Jennie Weil; and her in-laws, Zolly and Cesil Levin. She is survived by her children, Ladd (Rosanna), Danny (Kay), Stephen (Jackie), Mindy; her stepdaughter, Tish; her brother, Larrie Weil (Bobbi) from Dallas, Texas; and her seven (7) grandchildren, Taylor (Logan), Zachary, Aidan, Parker, Gabrielle (Mason), Robert, and Christopher. She is also survived by her only great-grandchild, Cade Nelson (“the most beautiful little man ever”).

Family and friends are invited to attend her graveside funeral service on Sunday, October 27, 2024, at 11:00 AM at Jewish Burial Rites Cemetery, 4321 Frenchman St., New Orleans, LA 70124. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Jefferson Parish SPCA in the name of Donna Levin.