Janet Levey

Janet “Jan” Levey, age 82, of Beachwood, Ohio passed away on August 8, 2026 of Alzheimer’s disease. Jan was born on June 19, 1944, and grew up in Cleveland with her brother Steve Rothman (Cathi) and cousins Julie Rubin (Marc) and Brad Saltz (Jama).

She attended college at the University of Michigan, and she never forgave her future husband or children for cheering on Ohio State. Jan was a lifelong educator, first as a junior high history teacher in Euclid, then as a children’s librarian for the Cuyahoga County system and later for the Beachwood Schools. She earned her master’s degree from Kent as a full-time working mom, after which she became the head librarian for Beachwood’s elementary program. Though her husband Hal (deceased) told jokes louder, Jan employed sarcasm to more devastating effect, especially when parenting their children Harlan (Wing Lam (Winnie) Kwok) of Brussels, Belgium; Barry of New York City, and Sara (Brett) Piccus of Mayfield Hts., OH. With them, she shared her love for storytelling through books, art, comics, musicals, and movies, as well as her devotion to the Cleveland Guardians. Jan was also an avid craft fair patron, where she collected kaleidoscopes, creamers, dreidels, turned wood, houses, people in primary colors, and any tchotchke that could over clutter a holiday table. She was a crossword queen, murder-mystery-party hostess, and drinker of vodka “martinis” with no vermouth. She will be missed by her grandson Harrison and the generations of children she inspired to read.

Services will be 11:00am Friday, August 14 at Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel 1985 S. Taylor Rd., Cleveland Hts., 44118. Interment Mayfield Cemetery. To view the service, please scroll down to the Services Section and click on “JOIN LIVESTREAM”. The family will receive friends at the residence, 2475 Brentwood Rd., Beachwood IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING INTERMENT FRIDAY UNTIL 8PM.

Memorial contributions can be made to support Beachwood Schools’ library and literacy initiatives at https://beachwoodschoolsfoundation.betterworld.org/campaigns/janet-jan-levey-memorial-fund.