Jerome H. Levy

Levy, Jerome H., a retired wholesale produce businessman and art philanthropist, died at his home in Boca Raton on Saturday. He was 81. A native of Chicago, IL, Mr. Levy attended the University of Illinois. His college career was interrupted by the onset of World War II, at which time he enlisted in the Navy, where he proudly served for 26 months on the USS Shangri-La in the Pacific. Throughout his life, Mr. Levy was an active supporter of many Navy veteran causes, including the Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. In 1946, after completing his service in the Navy, Mr. Levy moved with his wife, Virginia to Ft. Lauderdale, FL to join his family's wholesale produce business located at the Pompano Beach State Farmers' Market which also operated brokerage and packing operations in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Michigan. Mr. Levy retired from his company in 1988. A resident of Boca Raton for the past 14 years, Mr. Levy served on the Board of Trustees of the Boca Raton Museum of Art where he was involved in many philanthropic activities in the community to benefit the arts. He and his wife, Virginia, have been very active and long-time supporters of the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Art. In addition to his wife, Virginia, Jerome Levy is survived by his sister, Irma B. Jaffe, by his daughters, Susan L. Ledbetter, Jane L. McLane, and his grandchildren, Steven Ledbetter, Mark Ledbetter, Jeffrey McLane, and Elizabeth McLane.