Obituary
Gloria Levin, nee Garber, 96, of Northbrook, passed away on May 4, 2021. Beloved wife of the late George N. Levin. Loving mother of Sherman (Karen) Levin, Bruce (Phyllis) Levin and Nancy Menary. Proud grandmother of Matthew Levin, Marnie (Glenn) VanDeventer, Jessica (Chris) Weinke, Joshua (Kori) Levin, Lindsey (Kyle) Houser, Shaun (Shannon) Menary, Benjamin (Tarin) Levin, Perry Levin, Amanda Levin, and Grant Levin and great grandmother of Jack, Ryan, Blayke, Bryce, Jackson, Brynlee, Katelyn, Sidney, Addison, Levi, Cora and Vivian. Dear sister of Martin (the late Toby) Garber, the late Jeanette (the late Barney) Bograd and the late Sylvia (the late Earl) Elisco. Cherished aunt of many. The daughter of Jewish European immigrants, she was born on November 11, 1924 in Chicago. A precocious child, Gloria grew up on the Northside and graduated early from Von Steuben High school, where she met George—the love of her life. They married in 1944, settling in Northbrook shortly after to raise a family under the pillars of fairness, kindness, and honesty. Gloria’s multifaceted personality was bright and colorful as her signature red hair. She was a spark, the life of the party, the ultimate hostess with a flair for warmth and laughter. Welcome one, welcome all: the Levin home, flush with homecooked food and overflowing with spirits, was a favorite gathering place for family and friends—and Gloria relished every second of it. Her door was open to all; she cast a big tent, as inclusion and generosity were paramount values. Wherever she was, Gloria loved to share a laugh—and hers, mellifluously striking and sudden—was contagious. She had the rare ability to light up a room with zany, heartfelt humor. She was a remarkable friend, nurturing relationships that stretched back into the old neighborhood. She was an athlete (golf, bowling, tennis), a dancer, and a fan (Bears, Cubs, Sox, Bulls) who’d stay up late to watch tennis matches. She loved music (Glenn Miller Orchestra, Barbra Streisand, Bee Gees, and Tina Turner), film, and live theatre. A person of many passions, Gloria’s primary inspiration was her family. She adored her parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren—all of whom brought her unbridled joy. Yet, she refused to be defined as a housewife. A trailblazing businesswoman, she opened Davine’s Sportswear 1959, at a time when women were an unwelcome anomaly in the marketplace. To say that she successfully balanced family and business is an understatement. She excelled in both, raising three loving children while building her store from the underground (a basement, actually) to the heart of downtown Northbrook, where she thrived as a member of the City Council, Chamber of Commerce, and ORT. She was also a supporter of the Northbrook Public Library. Northbrook was her oyster. Throughout the decades, she could be spotted driving through downtown in her baby blue Corvette, shopping at Sunset Foods, enjoying dinner at Tonelli’s, or roaming the concourse of Northbrook Court (where she worked and shopped for many years). Next time you’re there, pause to share a laugh with someone . . . and think of Gloria. To keep everyone safe and healthy, the service and interment are private. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 8430 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60631, www.alz.org. To attend the funeral livestream, Thursday 1:30 PM, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com
Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals. www.chicagojewishfunerals.com