Shirley Raphael Levy

Shirley Raphael Levy passed away beautifully and peacefully at her home surrounded by her 7 loving daughters on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. She was born September 1, 1925 to Lamar John Raphael Sr. and Juanita Cuquet Raphael and was a resident of St. Louis King of France Parish in Metairie for the past 64 years. Shirley, or Maw-Maw as her large family called her, was a graduate of St. Anthony of Padua grammar school and Sacred Heart High School on Canal St. She continued her education at St. Mary’s Dominican College and Hotel Dieu School of Nursing where she pursued her degree in Nursing. Prior to graduating from Hotel Dieu however, she travelled to the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY to attend the graduation of the love of her life, Daniel Louis Levy, Jr. While there, Dan proposed to her in Times Square, New York City, and they were married on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1946 in her parish church, St. Anthony’s on Canal St.

Shirley is preceded in death by her husband Dan Levy, Jr., her parents Juanita and Lamar Raphael, her sisters Estelle Baker, Juanita (Snooks) Grimes, and Joyce Eumont and her half-brothers Lamar Raphael, Thomas Raphael, Bernard Raphael, and Ivy Raphael. She is survived by her brother Milton Raphael and her 11 loving children: Jackie Levy Hughes (Vic [Deceased]), Casey Levy, Pat Levy (Patrice), Mike Levy (Darnelle), Kathy Levy Cusimano (Chuck II), Peggy Levy Serio (Ricky), Shirley Levy Dupre (Arthur “Dev”), Tim Levy (Betsy), Terri Levy Owens (Jimmy), Dana Levy Naccari (Jay), and Marie Levy Pechon (Paul). She is also survived by 52 adoring grandchildren: Johnny Hughes, Brian Hughes (Patricia), Mark Hughes (Jennifer), Michelle Hughes Migliore (Shane), Casey Levy Jr., Christy Levy Bevolo (Taylor), Patrick Levy (Kellie), Jeffrey Levy (Suzanne), Scott Levy (Melanie), Michael Levy (Erica), Brittany Levy Gay (Jonathan), Mikaela Levy Ford (TC), Matthew Levy, Blaire Levy Gremillion (David), Katie Cusimano Blanchard (Zak), Chuck Cusimano III (Gabrielle), Staci Cusimano Garrity (Trey), Krissie Cusimano Ziifle (Matt), Josh Cusimano (Adrian), Gabe Cusimano (Katie), Michael Cusimano (Claire), Nathan Cusimano, Kelle Serio, Dan Serio (Allyson), Traci Serio Ponder (Ryan), Whitney Serio Bennett (Tim), Danielle Dupre Enk (Ryan), Keanne Dupre Delahoussaye (Stephen), Jonee Dupre McCaffery (Timmy), Arthur Dupre (Lyndi), Christyn Dupre Bobak (Christian), Jonathan Dupre (Jessie), Matthew Dupre, Christopher Dupre, Joseph Dupre, Gabrielle Dupre, Therese Dupre, Timothy Levy (An), Daniel Levy, Joseph Levy, Clare Levy Manale (Dylan), Jeremy Owens (Emily), Jesse Owens, Jamie Owens Conzulmann (Ryan), Jordan Owens, Paige Naccari Baynham (Alex), Shane Naccari (Lindsey), Shannon Naccari Ulfers (Chris), Casey Naccari, Alexis Pechon, Brady Pechon, Colby Pechon; 87 great grandchildren: Brock Hughes, Bradley Hughes, Tanner Hughes, Sydney Hughes, Abby Hughes, Jackson Hughes, Jaden Migliore, Cody Migliore, Taylor Migliore, Brooklyn Levy, Carter Bevolo, Cameron Bevolo, Cameron Director Levy, Ella Levy, Callie Levy, Campbell Levy, Muriel Levy, Christopher Levy, Jude Levy, Dominic Levy, McKenzie Gay, Matthew Gay, Merritt Gay, Thomas Ford, Christopher Ford, Oscar Ford, Libby Ford, Zachary Blanchard, Brandt Blanchard, Brooks Blanchard, Sophie Cusimano, Chuck Cusimano IV, Maggy Cusimano, Robert Garrity IV, Averi Garrity, Alli Garrity, Hunter Garrity, Piper Garrity, Tucker Garrity, Jack Ziifle, Lucie Ziifle, Anna Ziifle, Matthew Ziifle, Lillian Ziifle, Maryn Ziifle, Joshua Cusimano II, Connor Cusimano, Charlotte Cusimano, Grace Cusimano, Molly Cusimano, Michael Cusimano II, Christian Cusimano, Richard Serio, Marguerite Serio, Gabriel Serio, Emmett Ponder, Annie Ponder, Luke Ponder, Shirley Bennett, Conlan Enk, Everett Enk, Kaleb Enk, Bennett Enk, John Paul Enk, Clare Delahoussaye, Devereaux Delahoussaye, Marguerite Delahoussaye, Levy Catherine Delahoussaye, Jacques Delahoussaye, Peter McCaffery, Blaise McCaffery, Bernadette McCaffery, Lucia McCaffery, Becket McCaffery, Madeline Dupre, Beau Dupre, Kolbe Bobak, Avila Dupre, Eli Joseph Manale, Olivia Schlesinger, Jameson Owens, Amelia Owens, Parker Baynham, Charlee Naccari, Wyatt Naccari, Avery Ulfers, Kameryn Ulfers, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Shirley loved to travel. She made a number of pilgrimages to Medjugorje in the former Republic of Yugoslavia to honor our Blessed Mother, Mary. She also traveled to numerous other countries with her husband Dan, including a visit back to their first US Army duty station in Germany where she had the first 3 of her 11 children. A highlight of her life was going on numerous cruises with Dan and some of her children with their spouses, including a special cruise with just her 11 children and Dan a few months before he passed away.

As a devout Catholic, in addition to raising 11 children, she found time to teach religion at Mount Carmel Academy from 1976 – 2005 until Hurricane Katrina ended her tenure there. While at Mount Carmel, in addition to teaching religion, she started the Come Lord Jesus program, which is still very active today. She made an enormous positive impact on the lives of hundreds of young women, many of whom credit “Miss Levy” with changing the course of their lives.

Catholic Mass and burial will be on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. All services will be strictly private. However, they may be viewed online streaming at Bit.ly/shirleylevyfuneral.

To sign the family guestbook, please go to www.lakelawnmetairie.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in the name of Shirley R. Levy to the Mount Carmel Academy Scholarship Fund.