Charles Melvin Levy

July 13, 1937 - July 30, 2025 Charles "Chuck" Melvin Levy passed away on July 30, 2025, at the age of 88. Chuck was born July 13, 1937, in Aberdeen, South Dakota, to Leda and Sam Levy. He spent most of his childhood in Aberdeen, except for his second-grade year when he went with his grandmother Doba Parkin to New York and lived with relatives in Brooklyn. It was during this time spent with the "New York Family" that Chuck made relationships with his cousins that he would hold close and cherish for the rest of his life. Chuck graduated from Central High School in Aberdeen in 1955. While at Central High, Chuck noticed a young coed in the class behind him named Lydia Ackley and commented to one of his friends, "That is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my life."
Chuck left South Dakota in the fall of 1955 to attend the University of Colorado. After one year in Boulder, Chuck decided the Rocky Mountains were not for him and transferred to Northwestern University where he would earn both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Juris Doctor degree. While at Northwestern, Chuck joined the Tau Delta Phi fraternity where he met many friends with whom he would stay close for the rest of his life.
Also as an undergraduate at Northwestern, Chuck began dating Lydia Ackley, who was attending Northwestern. He proposed to her when he was in law school, and shortly after graduating, Chuck and Lydia married at the Ackley home in Aberdeen on June 11, 1961. With a job waiting for him at UCLA as a legal research and writing instructor, Chuck loaded his and Lydia's possessions into a 1961 Chevy Impala convertible and headed west to Southern California. Chuck and Lydia would live the rest of their lives in Southern California, starting in Encino, moving to Beverly Hills and finally Santa Monica Beach.
After a year teaching at UCLA, Chuck accepted an offer to be an associate with the law firm of Kaplan, Livingston, Goodwin, Berkowitz & Selvin. After 13 years at Kaplan Livingston – during which he rose to partner – Chuck decided to put out his own shingle and started a law firm that would eventually be known as Levy, Small & Lallas. During his 40+ years practicing law, Chuck garnered a reputation as one of the finest secured lending lawyers in California, representing some of the largest financial institutions in the country.
After retiring in the early 2000s, Chuck spent much of his time traveling the world with Lydia. Together they went on exotic adventures to faraway places in Europe, Africa, Asia and Antarctica. As much fun as Chuck had on these trips, his favorite vacations were the ones he took with his two children and five grandchildren. Whether it was a week in Hawaii, a Mediterranean cruise or Sunday night dinner, Chuck was never happier than when he was with his whole family. When in town during the summers, most Saturday nights Chuck could be found in either Garden Box 232 or Pool Circle Box 5 at the Hollywood Bowl - his favorite concert and the one he looked forward to most being the Tchaikovsky Spectacular.
Chuck was predeceased by Lydia, who passed on December 23, 2022, after 61 blissful years of marriage. Chuck is survived by sons Grant and Brian, daughter-in-law Margaret and grandchildren Sam, Patrick, Charlie, Alexandra and Jimmy.
A memorial service will be held on September 14th at 2:00 p.m. at Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary at 6001 W. Centinela Avenue, Culver City, California 90045.