Mark Benjamin Levey

1929 - 2021

January 25, 1929 - April 11, 2021 With heavy hearts we share the passing of Mark Benjamin Levey on April 11th. Mark was born on January 25th, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois to proud parents Ralph and Alyce Levey. When Mark was two years old, his family moved to Los Angeles, California, the city where he spent the rest of his adult life. After attending UCLA, Mark followed in his father's footsteps and entered the food industry. In 1951, he and partner Norman Katz founded Normark and Associates, a small boutique food brokerage company. Over the next forty years, Mark built the business into the largest perishable food brokerage company in the country. Mark's philosophy in business was the same as his guiding principle in life: ethics, mutual respect and integrity come first above everything else. Mark received prestigious awards, including the lifetime achievement awards from both the International Dairy, Deli and Bakery Association as well as from the Deli Council of Southern California. Mark served the community in many ways. He devoted over 20 years to City of Hope as a National Board of Director, and was a founding member of the Institution's Food Industries Circle. City of Hope gave Mark its highest honor, the Spirit of Life Award. Mark supported the United Jewish Fund, Eisenhower Hospital, and numerous national charities in order to help those less fortunate. Mark enjoyed the camaraderie and competitive golf at Hillcrest Country Club, where he was honored to be a past president of the club. He received Hillcrest's Lifetime Achievement Award for community service. Mark loved sports, and spent most of his life rooting for the UCLA Bruins and the L.A. Dodgers (at least since 1958!). His love of sports dated from the time he served as a batboy for the UCLA baseball team that featured Jackie Robinson. Mark was blessed to have two wonderful marriages, first to the late Pattie Specter Levey, mother of his son Alan and daughter Nancy. In 1998, he married Pearle Rae Kortz. They enjoyed spending time between their homes in Los Angeles and Rancho Mirage while visiting with friends from across the country.Mark is survived by his wife Pearle Rae Kortz Levey, son Alan (Deborah) Levey, Daughter Nancy (Jeff) Cherry, sister Lila Rauch, sister-in-law Jackie Barton, grandchildren Matthew (Alex) and Jenny (Graeme), Jeremy, Justin (Ashlee), Xander, and great-grandson Jackson. He is also survived by his Denver family, Ken (Barbara) Laff, daughter-in-law Lisa Laff, and grandchildren Laura, Emily, David (Maddie), James (Liz) and Izzie (Nate).A Zoom memorial service is planned for Friday April 16 at noon.Donations in memory of Mark may be sent to:City of Hope Food Industries Circle c/o Cheryl Kennick1500 E. Duarte Road, Rivergrade Office 14-0413Duarte CA 91010-3000
https://ourhope.cityofhope.org/MarkLevey