Ann Leavitt

She was the beloved wife of the late Gerald Leavitt. She is survived by her son Todd Leavitt and his wife Lauren of Santa Monica, California; her daughter Candace Steingisser and husband Dr. Lee Steingisser of Wayland, Massachusetts; grandchildren Julia Leavitt, Eliza Leavitt, Chloe Leavitt Fabiani and husband Michael Fabiani, Jason Steingisser and wife Caitlin Greeley, Michel Steingisser; and great grandchildren Ronan and Aidan Steingisser and Asher Fabiani.

Ann was a 12 year resident of Golda Meir House of 2Life Communities, formerly residing in Aventura Florida. She was the daughter of the late Louis and Ethel (Serlin) Ruttenberg. Ann’s two older sisters, Lillian Rosen and Marlene Chaiet predeceased her. Ann was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. She attended Dalton High School and NYU and met and married her beloved husband Jerry in 1949. She dutifully raised her two children, cared for her aging parents, and served as a surrogate mother to her nieces, the late Ronni Chaiet Bregman and Lori Chaiet (whose mother, Marlene, had died in 1963), while engaging in many social activities from her home in Scarsdale, NY. Ann remained married to Jerry for 24 years until his sudden death in 1973.

Ann always had a big smile and a passion for the fashion trade, which led her, after Jerry’s untimely death, into the area of retail fashion sales. Ann became a leading fashion consultant for national chains such as Lily Rubin and Caché. Her talents lay in sales of elegant and trending women’s wear. She read the Womens’ Wear Daily every day in addition to clothing trade magazines. Ann relocated to Florida in 1975 to care for her parents, and remained there for over 30 years until her retirement at age 80.

In 2008, Ann made the determination to re-locate to Boston so as to be closer to family, and started a new chapter in the supportive 2Life elder housing. Her continuing passions were for her beloved dachshunds and for easily completing (in ink, no less!) the Sunday New York Times Crossword puzzle

A virtual zoom Shiva will be held on a date TBD.

Graveside services will be private at Sharon Gardens Cemetery in Valhalla, NY. Contributions in Ann’s memory can be sent to 2 Life Communities, 30 Wallingford Road, Brighton, MA 02135.