Morton Elias Levitan

Morton Elias Levitan passed away March 23, 2005 at the age of 88 after a brief illness. He is survived by his loving companion Laokham Kamsoi, four children, Sara, Matthew, Robert, and Charles, and five grandchildren, Madison Levitan, Brette Levitan, Marcia Levitan, Mark Spero, and Hannah Spero. He was preceded in death by his eldest son, Mark.

Morton was born in Pittsburgh, PA on April 15, 1916 to Louis and

Henrietta Levitan. He grew up in Greenwich Connecticut and Far Rockaway, NY. He spent most of his life in Helena, Montana and Seattle, Washington. He attended City College of New York and received a medical degree from the University of Geneva. He enlisted in the Army in 1943 and trained at Camp Hale, Colorado. He served honorably as a captain in

the Medical Corp of the 10th Mountain Division, Ski Troops. He was captured in Italy on Mt. Belvedere, and was a prisoner of war until liberated at the end of the war. He worked as a Veterans Administration physician in Lake City Florida and Fort Harrison, Montana, and had a private practice in Seattle. During the Vietnam War, he participated in the Volunteer Physicians in Viet Nam program, serving in DaNang, South Vietnam. He was also a volunteer at the Tom Dooley hospital in Thailand.

For years in Helena, he was active in the Boy Scouts, and served as

Scoutmaster of Troop 109. After his retirement he continued to attend classes at the University of Washington, and wrote poetry. He was an active member of the Mt. Rainier Chapter of the 10th Mountain Division Association.