Bernard Howard Levy

Bernard H. Levy, 93, of Jackson Mich., passed away peacefully at home July 5, lifted by the warmth of loving family members who cherished the opportunity in his final days to thank him for his lifetime of selfless service to family, friends and his community.

Bernard will be remembered by many as an extraordinary man – a human anchor in a network of life-long Jacksonians whose collective presence touched and elevated everyone around them, and leaves behind generations who benefited from his philanthropy and personal example.

Bernard was born in Jackson in 1931 to William and Bertha Levy, graduated from Jackson High School in 1949, Jackson Junior College in 1951 and Michigan State University in 1953. He served for two years in the United States Army in Fort Lewis, Wash. prior to returning to Jackson to begin 45 years of employment at Industrial Steel Treating – one of the nation’s largest heat treating firms as a family business that still flourishes in the automotive industry under Levy family management.

His many personal and professional accomplishments are all grounded in self-discipline, emotional maturity and an unwavering dedication to doing the right thing, the right way for the right reasons.

Bernard focused his efforts on helping our community in any way he could. He believed in Jackson and in its’ ability to overcome, improvise and adapt to a changing world. He helped create and served as chairman of Jackson Alliance for Business Development in the mid-1980s, after Clark Equipment and Goodyear both shuttered operations in Jackson. The Alliance buoyed Jackson’s team that convinced Michigan Automotive Compressor Inc. to locate operations in Jackson in 1989 and TAC Manufacturing in 1991 – both integral to Jackson’s eventual rebound.

Bernard, as board chair of Jackson Area Manufacturers Association, was an early champion of efforts to tie business and education together in Jackson County in the 1980s and 1990s to better prepare students for the realities of the workforce. He served as chair of the Jackson-Hillsdale School-to-Work Board of Directors and the Workforce Development Board for south-central Michigan, which focused on workforce retraining.

Bernard served as president of the Foote Hospital Board of Directors at a time when healthcare was beginning to adopt quality-control initiatives already integrated into the manufacturing community.

He helped found and was a director of the Jackson Community Food Pantry, and was a multi-denominational contributor to funds and efforts assisting human services in the Jackson community. He organized and endowed the Dorothy Levy Literacy Fund in 2000 – a precursor to Jackson’s Energizing Education literacy program with a focus on fostering and supporting the skill and love of reading among the youth of Jackson.

Bernard was blessed and supported by two incredible, loving life partners – he is survived by his amazing wife of 26 years, Kathy, and was preceded in death in 1999 by his gregarious wife of 45 years, Dorothy.

He is survived by five children: Michael (Sheila), Thomas (Syndy), Kathy (Mark Sokoll), Timothy (Laura), and Joseph (Cheryl); three bonus children: John (Vicki), Jim (Noriko), and Jay; 14 grandchildren: Michelle, Elizabeth, Jordan, Samantha, Madison, Hannah, Audrey, Adrienne, Atticus, Tobi, Kyle, Gabriella, Alex and Amy; and 7 great-grandchildren: Vivienne, Max, Tucker, Elliot, Kenneth, Sheila and Raquel.

He is preceded in death by one sister, Eileen (George Batrouny), one brother-in-law James Crawford (MaryAnn), and survived by his nephews Michael Star (Debra) and David Star (Robin); and his cousin Iris Milan (Dan).

And no remembrance of Bernard would be complete without mention of his core cadre of lifelong Jackson friends who all preceded him in passing in recent years: Dick and Connie Surbrook, Charlie and Norma Testa (Norma is still with us), Jim and Delores Layher, Herb and Pat Furnas, Des and Rosemarie Herbert, Roger Gilbert (Edie is still with us), Jack Hinkley (Marlene is still with us) and many others. Their lifelong partnerships and commitment to each other fueled Bernard’s 93-year run of dedication to all that is truly important: Family. Friends. Community. Humanity.

In accordance with Bernard’s wishes, a Memorial Service is planned for July 18 at The Country Club of Jackson from 2 – 6 PM; The family will speak at 4.