Peter Houghton LeVan

PETER HOUGHTON LeVAN, SR., age 82 of Stow, OH, peacefully passed to his Eternal Home with our Lord and Savior, on March 3, 2026, surrounded in the love of his family. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Carolyn (nee Gillespie); his three sons: Peter ("Tad") (Shannon), Christopher (Kate), and Steven (Kara) LeVan; his seven grandchildren: Elena, Aaron, Jarett, Colin, Addison, Keegan, and Cali LeVan; and his brother Garrett (Judy) LeVan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Garrett and Katharine (nee Armstrong) LeVan, and his two sisters, Katharine Aspen and Andrea Kinney.

Peter graduated from Kiski Prep and Muskingum University, where he met Carolyn on his first day of Freshman Orientation.

While serving six years in the U.S. Army Reserves, Peter began his professional career at B.F. Goodrich Aerospace in Akron, where he spent 18 formative years. In 1986, he purchased R.F. Cook Manufacturing, a close-tolerance precision machine shop in Stow, where he remained owner and CEO until his retirement. In the business world, Pete was known for his integrity, the value of a handshake, and for doing things the right way.

A true character, Pete had a snarky sense of humor and an endless supply of eye-rolling "Dad jokes." He was an amazing chef and truly enjoyed preparing fabulous meals for those he loved. Pete could never sit still, was an avid runner and golfer, and became obsessed with pickleball around 2015, long before most had even heard of the sport. He remained active until the end, walking all hours of day and night to keep himself busy.

Most importantly to him, Pete was a devoted husband, a great dad, and a loving grandfather. He strongly believed that his family would be the legacy he left to the world.

The LeVan Family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff family at Maplewood of Cuyahoga Falls and Crossroads Hospice, who provided such loving care for Pete.

A memorial service will take place on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 2:00 PM at First Congregational Church of Hudson, 47 Aurora St., Hudson, OH 44236.

Memorial contributions may be made in Pete's memory to the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank (www.akroncantonfoodbank.org), the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org), or First Congregational Church of Hudson (hudsonucc.org). Arrangements by Busch-Romito Funeral Home, Hudson, OH (330-650-4181 www.buschcares.com).