We are sorry to report that our beloved University of Michigan Delta Chi John Levinson passed away on February 27, 2025. He had been diagnosed with the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease) about 1.5 years ago. In spite of the slow progress of the disease he continued to be a strong-willed type A hardworking person who persevered in the face of an ultimately fatal disease. The last time we reported to you was December 27th with an article about him and his quest to get to 600 straight Michigan football games. These were indeed difficult games to attend in view of his progressing ALS. He was able to attend his 599 and 600th games with wins over Ohio State and Alabama in the ReliaQuest bowl. He continued to work up to last week just before going in the hospital with respiratory issues.
As we indicated in previous articles, he has been the heart of the Michigan Delta Chi since the mid-1970s. Even in his final months he had made arrangements to maintain the running and operation of the fraternity with the Alpha corporation where he had established a lifelong relationship with the owner of the company who now manages multiple fraternities across multiple states. He has left us in good shape with respect to that. He was always on top of planning as you see in the articles where he helped us plan and get financing for our new fraternity house.
On a personal note, I came to know John about 2015 when we decided to tear down the old fraternity house and build a new one. We talked as a group of fundraisers with other central members on a weekly basis in the early days and later on a monthly basis and I got to know him very well. I feel honored to have known John. He was a wonderful person, easy going, knowledgeable, the go to person, the one that kept the whole fraternity together. I admired him very much, wrote several articles about him for our eDelt (email to members), and curse the fact that he was diagnosed with this terrible disease. His tenacity of spirit and joy for life was touching. He fought it to the end just like I knew he would. This evening I’m having a drink to toast and honor and think about this very important Michigan Delta Chi. I hope you do the same.
Keith Hellems, M.D. ’62 – co-editor U. Mich. eDelt.
Below is the obituary for John and the link to the obituary webpage.
John Thomas Levinson passed away suddenly at his home in Commerce Township on February 27, 2025. John was born on September 7, 1951 and was the oldest son of Bernard N. and Mary Ellen (nee Brennan) Levinson. John is survived by his wife of 48 years Kathleen (Kennedy), his siblings David C. Levinson and Richard N. Levinson (Marge), his brother-in-law Scott Kennedy (Michele), his nephew Michael Kennedy (Erin), nieces Sarah Kennedy, Shannon Levinson, Colleen Wickerham (Blake) and Elizabeth Levinson as well as two great nieces and two great nephews.
John grew up in Birmingham, Michigan and attended Our Lady Queen of Martyrs grade school and Brother Rice High School. John graduated from the University of Michigan receiving his BBA in 1973 and his MBA in 1975. Growing up John was very active in sports as a baseball player, golfer, bowler, and water skier. John was a mid-fielder on the Michigan lacrosse team for four years taking up the game in college never having played the game nor seen a game until he played at Michigan. John carried on his love for sports into adulthood until just recently when ALS robbed him of the ability to participate in such activities. John was passionate of all sports at the University of Michigan but particularly its softball, basketball, and football teams. But John’s true passion was the University of Michigan’s football team. John’s passion for U of M football started when he attended his first game in the fall of 1957. He became a season ticketholder as a freshman in September 1969 and had been a season ticketholder ever since but above and beyond that John’s attendance at the December 31, 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl marked his attendance at 600 consecutive U of M football games both home and away which streak began with the start of the 1977 season. His wife Kathy has exhibited the same passion although she cannot claim the same streak as she missed one game early on to act as a bridesmaid for one of her sorority sisters.
John’s other passions included his work and the University of Michigan chapter of the Delta Chi Fraternity. John joined Delta Chi as a freshman in 1969 and moved into the chapter house later that fall. John held various positions during his undergraduate days and after graduation was asked to join its Alumni Building Corporation on which he served until his death. During that time, he was instrumental in reviving the chapter, overseeing the financial well-being of both the undergraduate chapter as well as the building corporation and the construction of a new chapter house at 1705 Hill Street.
John was also the founder and chairman of the Lower Straits Lake preservation committee.
John has worked at RheTech for the last approximately 38 years until earlier this month when he was forced to retire due to his health. RheTech is a leading producer of filled and reinforced polypropylenes, engineered resins, color concentrates and additives, and headquartered in Whitmore Lake. John joined the then privately owned company in the spring of 1987. Over the years John has served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer, its President, and Chief Operating Officer and since 2015 the Chief Executive Officer for North American Operations for the Hexpol Group of Sweden which bought the firm in 2015.
Visitation will be at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home at 340 N. Pontiac Trail, Walled Lake (3 Blks. S. of Maple Rd.), on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Funeral mass from St. Patrick Catholic Church, 9086 Hutchins Rd, White Lake, MI 48386, 11:00 AM, Thursday, March 6, 2025. Visitation 10:00 AM Thursday at church until the time of service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to Michigan Medicine Development appreciated. This can be done by using the link below or sending a check to:
Michigan Medicine Development
Attn: Kristen Petriches
777 E. Eisenhower Pkwy
Suite 650
Ann Arbor, MI. 48116
Checks should reference John Levinson or ALS Fund 336111.
https://www.lynchandsonswalledlake.com/obituaries/John-Thomas-Levinson?obId=38139699
If you would like to make a comment about John, please go to the funeral home link above and put your comment in the “share a memory” section. I have posted the complete article done on Sept 2, 2024 (The Iron Horse of the Michigan Delta Chi) in the memory section.
