Howard Benjamin Levin, 71, passed away on August 14, 2015 days after his July 24th birthday, from complications related to his year and a half battle with MDS/Leukemia. Born in Chicago, IL to Eddie and Charlotte Bober Levin he grew up and went to school in Los Angeles, California.
Howard served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, stationed at the Vandenberg Air Force base, and barely missed being sent to Vietnam by a few months. Although he worked for his father at Eddie's Express from early childhood, he found his life's work at Delta Airlines. He began his airline career four months after being honorably discharged from the Air Force at the age of 22. While working as an agent at the LAX airport, he met his sweetheart Patricia Kay Billings. They married in 1979 and subsequently moved to Murray, Utah in 1982.
Shortly after moving to Utah and beginning work at the SLC airport, Howie broke his back while working, requiring four back surgeries. His back problems never stopped him from working 20 more years or supporting his kids; showing them a wonderful example and the importance of family. He retired from Delta Airlines in 2001 but couldn't stay retired for very long. He was recruited by his daughter-in-law Jamie to work at Atria Assisted Living in Sandy, where he drove a bus for residents, until he received a call to go home because he had no immune system and was diagnosed with Myelodysplasic Syndrome (MDS) in February 2014.
Howie loved his family and was always there for them when they needed him. He loved traveling, especially to California to visit the Kippers and the rest of his family. Howie spent most of his time buying and selling rental properties in California and Utah. He always managed his own properties and was very familiar with his tenants, including responding to their requests in a very timely manner, mostly fixing things himself. He made many friendships over the years in each of his working capacities.
All three of his children played sports in high school and college while being very active in the Murray community. And although Howie wasn't LDS, he supported all three of his children as they served LDS missions. Howie spent numerous hours watching his children compete in athletics and perform in dance, band, theater, and music. Howie loved going to movies and even went to see the latest Mission Impossible movie two days before his final hospitalization. We will all miss hearing him chuckle as he watched the late night show, singing his favorite song "to the bank, to the bank", saying "I was a poor little Jewish boy from the ghetto", complaining "oy vey" as we picked on him, or declaring "mazel tov". He also loved going to breakfast once a week with Ron and Bob and playing cards with Arlene and Denny. He loved spending time with the Shulsens and all his many friends.
Howie is survived by his wife; Pat, daughter; Angela (Mark) Stallings, and their children Alexandra, Isaac, and Maxwell, and Angie's step-daughters Ashley, Amber, and Aubrey, son; Andrew (Jamie) Levin, and their children Ava, Kaia, and Elyana, and son; Adam (Ashley) Levin and their children Odette and Edward. He is also survived by his two sisters; Marilyn Jepson and Fran (Ron) Kipper and his many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, father, nephew Kenny Shulsen, and brother-in-law Loyde Jepson.
Howie loved the special care that he received from the nurses and staff during his cancer treatment at the BMT Clinic at LDS Hospital.
Friends and family are invited to come to celebrate his life at a funeral service at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E Dimple Dell Rd. in Sandy at 2:00pm on Tuesday, August 18, 2015. Burial will follow in Larkin Sunset Gardens. There will be no viewing, per Howie's request.
