Betsy Levin

12/25/1935 - 07/04/2024

Betsy Levin, of Washington, DC, passed away on Thursday, July 4, 2024, at the age of 88. She is survived by her cherished siblings, Larry (Rita) Levin and Sarah "Sally" Cooper Levin; and adored nieces, Leah Levin, Kendra Levin and Karen Levy. Betsy was predeceased by her dear sister, Alexandra "Lexie" Cohen; and loving parents, Alexandra and M. Jastrow Levin.
A dedicated professional and cherished family member, Betsy spent her formative years in the Walbrook/Windsor Hills neighborhoods of Baltimore. She graduated from Western High School before pursuing higher education at Bryn Mawr College, where she earned a BA with Honors in Geology in 1956. After years working at the Geological Survey in Washington, she decided that her interest in civil rights would best be served if she got a law degree. She started out attending night law school at George Washington University before transferring to Yale University where she obtained her LLB in 1966. Following that, she clerked for Judge Simon Sobeloff on the US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals before becoming a White House Fellow, where she was an assistant to Justice Arthur J. Goldberg, Ambassador to the United Nations.
Betsy had an illustrious career spanning over three decades as a legal expert and law professor. While working at the Urban Institute in Washington as Director of Education Studies she became a tenured Professor in the Law School at Duke University where she taught constitution law and urban problems. During the Carter administration, Betsy was General Counsel at the US Department of Education. In 1981 she became Dean at the University of Colorado School of Law until 1987 when she left to become Executive Director of the Association of American Law School.
Betsy's legacy extends far beyond her professional achievements. She will be remembered for her intellect, her empathy and her unyielding belief in the power of education to transform lives. Her greatest joy in her career was the opportunity to teach and mentor her students, helping shape the next generation of legal minds. In addition to her extensive professional career, Betsy was passionate about civil rights, travel, hiking, and theater. She was a member of Hadassah and the American Law Institute. Family, civil rights and justice were of utmost importance to her, and she will be remembered for her love of the outdoors and her role as a loving sister and friend.
Services at The Meeting House, 5885 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia, MD 21045, on Monday, July 8, 2024, at 10 a.m. Interment Arlington Chizuk Amuno Cemetery. Please omit flowers. Contributions in her memory may be sent to Hadassah, 40 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005; or Feed the Children, 333 N Meridian Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73107.