PORTLAND – Susan (Castleman) Levin, 81, lived a life. A full, active, joyous life. In her prime, she would leap out of bed at dawn and dash off to any number of pursuits: tennis, golf, kayaking, painting, photography, creative writing, bridge, volunteering, sometimes all of these in one day. A typical outing also included delicious cuisine. She relished a finely presented restaurant meal, and brusquely dismissed anything that fell short of her standards, leaving a trail of delighted or dispirited chefs and waiters in her wake. To end the day, Susie would recline with a glass of red wine, next to her husband of 48 years, Richard “Dick” Levin (deceased in 2017), taking in a colorful sunset over Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton, N.Y., or the Intracoastal Waterway in Jupiter, Fla.

In her working years, she taught the deaf and hard of hearing in the New York City public schools in the ’70s and ’80s, and dabbled in a few other professions, including brief stints as an ice cream parlor owner, software programmer (Logo Power!), and a real estate partner with Dick. In her free time, she became a powerful advocate for students with learning disabilities.

Susie and Dick persevered through infertility challenges in the early years of marriage, suffering four miscarriages before adopting Stephen and then eventually giving birth to Robert. As with every part of her life, Susie brought her indomitable spirit to mothering. She showed up for every last sporting event, and was constantly cooking up creative ways to have family fun or navigate the challenges of raising two boys.

Susie and Dick were accomplished travelers, starting with a world tour honeymoon in 1969. And they didn’t just stick to the trendy spots, visiting Nepal on that first trip, Soviet-bloc Eastern Europe in the 1980s, Egypt and Jordan in the 1990s, and Cuba in 2001.

Susie fiercely battled Parkinson’s Disease in her last 10 years, following her father Eli’s motto, that living well is the best revenge in the face of adversity. As someone who deemed any temperature below 67 degrees “freezing,” she reluctantly moved to Portland in 2019 to be closer to family. In her own style, she quickly adjusted, settling in at The Cedars senior community. She continued to squeeze the most out of every moment, even when that meant outdoor wintertime gatherings due to Covid restrictions.

Her drive and determination inspired her family and her peers. If she has any pull where she is now, she’ll be working hard to make things better for all of us. She died on Sunday, March 27, 2022 with the words “peace” and “Oseh Shalom” on her lips.

Susie was born a Detroit girl to Eli and Marion Castleman, growing up with sister, Carol and brother, Lee.

Susie is survived by her sons Stephen Levin (and wife Colleen Levin) and Rob Levin (and wife Sarah Cushman); and four grandchildren, Evan, Cedar, Kai, and Corbin; as well as her niece, Stacey Alexander, and nephews Bradley Falk, Michael Jacobson, and Andrew Jacobson.

Memorial Service for Susan C. Levin – Thursday, May 26 at 3:30 p.m.

Hybrid – Both on Zoom and In-Person.

Zoom link: email Rob Levin (see below)

In person: Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, 1342 Congress St., Portland. Refreshments to follow.

If attending in person or to obtain the Zoom link, please RSVP to Rob Levin, rob@roblevin.net or 207-774-8026.

Arrangements are under the direction of Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State St., Portland. To view Susan’s memorial page or share an online condolence, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.

Any donations in her memory can be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation, http://www.parkinson.org/

Copy the Story Link