Bessie Levin

Bessie Levin (1933-2026), beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away after a long and vibrant life defined by love, generosity, vitality, and a deep commitment to others.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, to Anna Schwartzman and Isaac Levine, Bessie moved with her family to Detroit at the age of three, where she later attended Central High School.

In 1954, Bessie married Edward Levin at B’nai David in Detroit. Together, they built a life centered around family, raising four children and eventually welcoming nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Bessie was preceded in death by her parents, Anna and Isaac Levine, and her sister, Hilda Molly Lezell. She is survived by her husband, Edward Levin; her children, Jeff Levin (Anne), Julie Rachman (Steve), Joel Levin (Jacquie), and Franny Zucker (Michael); grandchildren Shane Rachman (Erica), Ben Rachman (Natalie), Natalie Rachman, Jake Levin, Ryan Levin, Alex Levin, Easton Zucker, Livia Zucker, and Luke Zucker; and great-grandchildren Sloane, Rafa, Zoe, and Noa Rachman.

Family was the center of Bessie’s life. She was always involved, always interested, and always ready to help. She was known for her generosity, wise advice, healthy perspective, and remarkable ability to make others feel supported and loved. She took enormous pride in each generation of her family.

That instinct to care for others extended far beyond her own family. Bessie spent 21 years at the Jewish Community Center in Oak Park, Michigan, teaching in the Parent-Toddler Nursery School, and later worked with Caregivers in Detroit, supporting families in need.

Her curiosity, love of learning, and commitment to preserving history also shaped much of her life. She was among the early docents at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington, Michigan. After moving to the Chicago area, she continued giving her time to Spertus Museum, the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, the Highland Park Library, Common Ground, Family First Nursery, the Center for Enriched Living, and other community organizations. For Bessie, helping others was not something she simply did; it was part of who she was.

Bessie and Edward moved to the Chicago area in 1993, settling first in Deerfield and later in Highland Park. They were active members of B'nai Tikvah in Deerfield for 27 years. In 2025, they moved together to Tamarisk in Deerfield.

Bessie carried a remarkable physical and emotional vitality throughout her life. She remained curious, engaged, and deeply connected to the people around her. She cared about what was happening in the lives of others and continued to give of herself to family, friends, her community, and often to people she had only just met.

Her legacy is found not only in the family she loved so fiercely, but in the way she lived: with generosity, wisdom, openness, and an instinct to welcome and care for others. Those qualities will live on in her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and in the many people whose lives were made better simply because Bessie was part of theirs.

She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Her memory will live on, friends, and the many lives she touched through her generosity, kindness, and service.

May her memory be a blessing.

Service will take place at 1:30 PM Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago

Shiva to follow 3:30 – 8:30 PM

1686 Ryders Lane, Highland Park