Alfred Burton "Burt" Levering

1929 - 2023

Alfred Burton "Burt" Levering was born in Philadelphia on April 1, 1929. Named after his grandfather, Alfred Burton, his name was changed to Burton after his grandmother complained of calling out "Alfred" and both grandson and husband showing up.

His lifetime dream was to work for General Electric. He entered Swarthmore College where he was, by his terms, a moderately successful electrical engineering student but also became a top lacrosse player, representing the "South" in the annual North-South game. He was hired by General Electric soon after graduation, working initially in New York state before coming to Pittsfield.

Burt started his Pittsfield tenure at Transformers, eventually moving to Ordinance. He was heavily involved in the development of missile control systems for submarines, making frequent trips across the country, to MIT, and to submarine bases to help during sea trials. The moderately successful student had become a rocket scientist.

He met his future wife as a blind date. He was waiting for Dorothy Crane outside of her place of employment as a telephone operator when she left work at 11. He, and she, were almost immediately smitten. They married in 1952, were true life partners, and remained married until her passing in 2015. A lifetime traveler, he and Dorothy took their children on frequent camping trips to Maine, Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, Colorado, and Arizona to name a few. In retirement they extended their range to include a cross country trip across Canada to Alaska, New Zealand, Brazil, Italy, Ireland, and Germany.

Burt followed his mother in a love of photography and has a very expansive photo library and camera collection. The family summer trips would be filled with a period of waiting, as the rolls of slide film were sent off to be developed, and upon return, Burt would spend weeks organizing them. Finally, the big slide show, where everyone could sit and see Burt's vision of the trip they had recently completed.

He loved a good laugh, and was frequently ribbing people to get a reaction, and they would give it right back, much to everyone's amusement.

Burt was also an early member of the Berkshire Folk Music Society, or "biff-miss". The group met regularly at the Unitarian Church on Wendall Avenue in Pittsfield, where local musicians would share folk music with the group. Although not a musician, he loved the music, the companionship, and was occasionally coaxed to use his fine baritone voice in group songs.

Burt became a lover of classical music and opera from a young age, and as a father would accelerate his children waking up on Sundays by playing "Carmen" or Russian folk songs at high volume. He also enjoyed and went to multiple Broadway shows. Even later in life, classical would be constantly playing in his home.

An amateur historian, he spent many years studying World War II. He was too young to participate, but even as a young man learned to identify many military and civilian aircraft on sight. Constantly reading about the War, his collection of books, and eventually plastic models, grew. Bookcases were cleared of other books to make way for his growing collection of completed models. Although hampered by his increasing age, he left two large models partially completed.

Burt died in his sleep with family near on February 15, 2023.

Burt is survived by his three children, Jeff Levering and wife Deborah of Worcester, MA, Cathy Burrows and husband Richard of Pittsfield, MA, and Meredyth Levering and John Addy of Conway, AR. His grandchildren are Liza Conry of Waldoboro, ME, Will Levering of Brockton, MA, Abbigail West of Chicopee, Rebecca Kelly of Dalton, Joseph Levering of Chicago, Doug Levering of Tucson, and Ariadni Levering of Conway, AR. He also has four great-grandchildren, Levi and Brodie Kelly, Lillian and Eldon Conry, and beloved step-grandchildren Christine Burrows and Rick Burrows.

He will be missed.

Family and friends memorial to be held at a later date.