Michael Shepard Leavitt

It seems increasingly rare that a person discovers their purpose early in life then steadfastly follows that path. Michael Leavitt always knew he wanted to be an architect - nothing else. At 13, he presented his first design, a complex octagon house with air and heating systems. That sketch drawn on a piece of loose-leaf paper would be the catalyst for a career that would take him to Boston, Rome, Jerusalem and San Francisco.

Michael died in December at 62. He was born in Saint Louis, the son of Sid and Betty Leavitt along with siblings Sharon and Rich. He attended the University of Arizona where he spent long hours in the studio with a group of fellow students who would become lifelong friends. Against the backdrop of Lyle Lovett in dive bars, this gin drinking, Vonnegut-reading crew, debated design with Michael, pushing them to think bigger. "He was a fasten your seat belts, we're going for the ride of your lifetime kind of person, the kind who transported, challenged and opened doors to the most important things in life for the people he loved," recalled classmate Diane Reicher Jacobs FAIA.

Following graduation Michael worked for the prestigious Payette firm in Boston then moved to Rome where he worked with the esteemed architect Piero Sartogo on the design for the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C. Jerusalem followed where he was a key architect for the Shalom Hartman Institute, an internationally renowned research center.

After several years abroad, Michael moved to San Francisco to open his own firm. Shortly afterward he met his wife Cynthia Durcanin, who was literally the girl next door. Her street address was 1941 and he was building a project at 1841 that would, unbeknownst to them, become their future home.

It didn't take long for her to notice his extraordinary knack for unconventional problem solving, a resourcefulness that served their family well whether they were in the remote corners of Alaska or on the streets of Mumbai. Medical or mechanical he could fix it. He rarely went anywhere without his drill, duct tape and a piece of rope earning him the nickname MacGyver.

Michael was a unique thinker who pursued his many passions with focus and exuberance. He always leapt with both feet in. While honeymooning in Spain he drove halfway across the country to procure the perfect faucets for the home he was building in San Francisco. On that same trip the couple visited Marrakesh where Michael was inspired to create a casbah for their home. Working through the language barrier he took a sketch to a Berber fabric shop where he guided the upholsters into creating ornate, patterned covers for several Moroccan daybeds and shipped it all home. For years their spectacular San Francisco casbah was the site of parties, dinners and bedtime stories.

Michael and Cynthia had both worked abroad and continued to travel extensively with their children Eli and Eva. There were trips to European capitals. But they also visited Bosnia, the West Bank and spent a month in India where Michael insisted that their then teenage kids leave their cell phones at home because he wanted them to truly feel the awe of India.

It was important that their children grow up with a world view beyond the states. When their children were 10 and 11 the family moved to Tel Aviv for a year along with their feisty Fox Terrier Asta amid construction of their new home in San Francisco. The word crazy may come to mind, but Michael was not the least bit phased. Their children immersed themselves in the culture attending school in an Arab Israeli neighborhood while their parents spent their days exploring. Michael's work day began at sunset in his "office" on the terrace of their apartment one block from the beach. As a family, they all agreed it was one of the most memorable years of their life.

Another of Michael's major passions was cars. A life long car enthusiast with too many hobby cars to count, Michael bought his first car at 15, a 1970 lime green Dodge Charger, which still sits in his garage 47 years later. His collection also included a 1968 Fiat 500 that he shipped over from Italy and his beloved 1967 Lancia Fulvia. That love of cars was passed along to his son Eli who texted daily with his father about the latest cool cars on Bring a Trailer and each year they attended Monterey Car Week, a cherished tradition.

Michael was an extraordinary father who bonded deeply with his children and prioritized one on one time with each of them. For his daughter, Eva, that meant hiking and camping with her father at Yosemite where they spent afternoons amongst the pines sketching, drawing and painting.

Nothing got in the way of Michael's passions, not even cancer. After being diagnosed with stage 4 appendiceal cancer, he defied the odds for nearly five years working full time and traveling. He had multiple surgeries including a grueling eight-hour surgery at the Allegheny Hospital in Pittsburgh, a pioneering hospital for rare and complex cancers. He spent three weeks in the ICU where from his hospital bed he bought a 1990 red Corvette convertible from a retired cop in Cleveland. After being discharged, Michael celebrated by driving himself home in his new car.

Back in San Francisco one month before his death, Michael upgraded to a red Ferrari convertible, a rental that was a birthday present. He spent the day driving down the Pacific Coast Highway with his son breaking speed limits with seat belts fastened

Reflecting on his own legacy Michael told friends he hoped he had inspired others to think more boldly and to follow their passions. More importantly in his battle against cancer he taught people how to truly live.

Michael is survived by his wife, Cynthia, son, Eli, daughter, Eva, sister, Sharon Duffie, niece, Jenny Duffie, brother, Rich Leavitt, sister-in-law Maureen Leavitt, niece, Ellie Leavitt, nephew, Lou Leavitt, brother and sister in law, Scott and Maria Durcanin, niece, Arielle Stephan, brother and sister in law, Douglas and Dani Durcanin, nephew, Douglas Durcanin and sister and brother in law Amy and Dennis Napior.

Donations can be made to the Bartlett Cancer Research Fund,