Beryl Shirley Levin

LEVIN Beryl Shirley (Karp) Beryl Shirley (Karp) Levin passed away Thursday, June 4th, 2009, after complications from a surgical procedure to repair her artificial vein, her granddaughter, Jackie Salisbury was with her at the time She fought valiantly to her stubborn end, literally. She was not fit for this procedure and even against doctor's order, insisted on having it done - her way. She would have been 78 years old at the end of this month. As one of the oldest living diabetics, she was proud of the fact that she still had her feeling in all fingers, toes and reasonable eyesight: only her kidneys gave out 4 years ago. At that time she was diagnosed in 1943, the outlook for diabetics was grim, usually not living more than a couple of years. For her to live life as fully as she did was a testament to her dedication to life. Born in 1931, she went on to graduate from DeVilbiss High school, and even though she was dissuaded from doing so, she went on to the University of Michigan and graduated from the Flower Hospital nursing program as a Registered Nurse. She also met and married David Levin in 1954. At that time she was told that she would not be able to conceive any children, and as usual she proved them wrong. She had 3 children, Amy (Carson), Peter and Richard. She was a very active person, giving back to her family and to the community. Family was very important to Beryl, as she was the hub of many of the family holiday gatherings for both sides of the family. She was a President of B'nai Israel Sisterhood, and was an annual volunteer for the Jamie Farr Golf classic. She was active in the family business, Karp's Department Store, from her childhood, and through the period when she and David; her sister, Sharon and Mel Beil took over the business in 1961 until it closed in 1994. She had a passion for book and Mah Jong clubs, and was also an active golfer at Glengarry, Highland Meadows, and the Legands country club where she and David retired in Fort Myers Florida. Beryl was preceded by her husband, David and son, Peter Scott, and was survived by sister, Sharon Beil, Sylvania, OH; brother, Michael Karp, Marietta, GA; her children, Amy Carson, Indianapolis, Richard (Carrie), Sunnyvale CA and her grandchildren, Joshua and Yuri Levin, Sunnyvale, CA, Jackie Salisbury, Scotts Valley, CA; Corey Carson and Stephanie Carson, Columbus, OH. As her grandson, Yuri eloquently put it, "She's with her husband now." The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, June 8th at the Robert H. Wick/ Wisniewski Funeral Home, 2426 N. Reynolds Rd. with burial at Beth Shalom. The family will be receiving people at Mel and Sharon's home. The family wishes all donations be made to Hope Hospice of Fort Myers Florida.