Carlene Levin, loving wife of Robert Edward Levin and devoted mother, died on Oct. 18 in Southern Pines, NC. She was 95.
Gloria Carlene Hardy was born on Feb. 28, 1928, in Danville, VA. It was there that she met her husband-to-be on a blind date. They were married on Oct. 22, 1948, at her home. Her death came days short of their 75th wedding anniversary.
Carlene Levin was the quintessential Southern girl who went north, leaving Virginia in 1954 for Massapequa, NY. For the sake of her family, she learned to ice skate, sled, and drive in the snow. The move also produced her distinctive speaking voice, a Southern drawl with a Long Island accent!
Among her passions were gardening, traveling, and cooking (even for picky children!). She was always well-dressed, never giving in to the tracksuit styles of advanced age. She valued her vast collection of shoes, even if there was no room in the closet for her husband.
She was the mother of two – daughter Linda Kaye (married to Neal Vitale) and son Robert Edward Jr. (Diane Fournier Levin). She could be a worrier when it came to the kids (and grandkids), but she always wanted the best for them, even when it meant confronting her own fears or insecurities. She was a role model of kindness, caring, and support.
Carlene Levin was a petite lifelong redhead. Though considered sweet by her friends and caregivers, her family remembers when her temper occasionally matched the color of her hair. Card playing, another long-term favorite pastime – especially bridge – could often be where this behavior was manifest. (Bob, why did you bid that? You should have led a spade!)
She also enjoyed her philanthropic activities, and was always willing to help a friend in need. She was an active member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, an organization that supports educational opportunities for women worldwide. After moving back to the South, to North Carolina in 1985, she volunteered at Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care.
Mrs. Levin is survived by her husband, her children, and their families – three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 am on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, at the Belle Meade Chapel, 100 Waters Drive, Southern Pines.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Belle Meade Education Fund, 100 Gossman Drive, Suite B, Southern Pines, NC 28387.
Online condolences may be made at www.bolesfuneralhom.com
Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.
