Vivian Levy, remarkable Brooklyn Heights resident, dies at 104

Vivian Levy, celebrated for her amazing vitality, community spirit and dedication to social justice, died in her sleep at home in Brooklyn Heights on Tuesday at the age of 104 after a brief illness.

Levy, who was dubbed “Queen of the Pool” by New York media after it came out that she swam every morning, even at the age of 104, left an indelible mark in her community out of the pool as well — as a mother, teacher and guidance counselor, community organizer, activist for social justice and inspirational neighbor who remained sharp and upbeat well past a century of life.

She received not one but two citations from Brooklyn elected officials — one from Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon on her 100th birthday on June 17, 2019, and one from Councilmember Lincoln Restler this past Sept. 7, which was declared “Vivian Levy Day” in Brooklyn.

Levy, who looked and acted decades younger than her actual age, had been a teacher at Brooklyn’s P.S. 188, and after that a guidance counselor in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Williamsburg. She led a remarkable life as an activist — marching for civil rights (and getting chased off the street by police on horses, according to a piece in Catholic Charities’ “Currents”); protesting the Vietnam War; and supporting women’s rights.

“I had three children, I had a baby in a carriage and I collected signatures against the nuclear war,” she told Currents in an interview on her 100th birthday at the St. Charles Jubilee Senior Center in Brooklyn Heights.

Levy’s son Builder Levy told the Brooklyn Eagle, “My mother loved to interact and engage with people — family, friends, and even not too infrequently, strangers. She also believed in the importance of social justice — racial, women, workers, LGBQ, environmental — and peace, a world without war, militarism and violence.”

Builder said his mother and father sent the children to progressive summer camps that were interracial and multicultural.“Those summer camp experiences enriched our lives, and pointed toward a better world,” he said.

Builder added, “To this day, I like to engage and interact with people, perhaps in a more sublimated way, as an artist photographer who tries to combine social documentary, street and art photography. I believe I ‘caught’ a lot of that desire for interaction and engagement from my mother.”

Levy’s son Jay Levy, a real estate broker, told the Eagle that the most important thing people should know about his mom was her love for people. “Vivian was the penultimate people person,” he said.

He also shared a memory of their time together when he was a child.

“She taught me to play tennis at 10 or 12 at the local park in Bath Beach. But in those days no one played so it was short-lived. Then at around 29 I started a 35-year love affair with tennis until my knee started to go,” he said.  

He added, “She also taught me to be my own person wherever that would lead.”

Tributes pour in

Tributes to Levy began to pour in on Tuesday.

“I knew Vivian for many years and celebrated her 100th birthday at the St. Charles Jubilee senior center. She led a remarkable life,” said Assemblymember Simon on Wednesday. 

“One small personal memory is that in 2015 or 2016 the YWCA had a ladies tea to celebrate Women’s Equality Day, the anniversary of women’s suffrage,” Simon recalled. “We all had to wear pearls. I brought my granddaughter with me who must have been 8 or 9.  There were a number of young women from the Y’s education program and they were talking about sexual assault, and things over her head. So Vivian started explaining to my granddaughter about bodily autonomy, how to be safe, how to report it if anyone tried to touch her inappropriately, etc., etc.  It was very sweet and really showed Vivian’s deep commitment to women and girls and her ability to communicate with anyone about anything.” 

“I am deeply saddened to learn of Vivian Levy’s passing,” Councilmember Restler said. “At our Senior Luncheon in Brooklyn Heights this summer, we presented her with a Council proclamation for her outstanding contributions to our community,” he recalled. “Ms. Levy was a dedicated teacher, a passionate activist, and an inspiration to so many of us. My thoughts are with her friends and family.”

‘She loved people’

One friend who knew Levy well was Heights resident Beverly Closs, who took Levy swimming at the Eastern Athletic Club pool every Sunday, and then to play Scrabble. (After the pool at Eastern closed, Levy swam at the Life Time DUMBO health club, where she was filmed by numerous television networks.)

“Everybody doesn’t like something. But nobody doesn’t like Vivian Levy,” Closs said, taking off on the classic Sara Lee commercial.

“Vivian was often asked what she attributed her long life to. She would answer, ‘Swimming and eating lots of fruit every day,'” Closs said. “While this is true, it is also her wonderful attitude toward life! She loved people and children and always interacted with them whenever she could. 

“Vivian’s mind was sharp as a tack, playing — and winning! — Scrabble and Rummikub and Bingo,” Closs added. “She never complained and always smiling, saw the bright side of life. I have learned so much from Vivian and I hope to emulate her attitude and values. She was a gem.”

She was friendly with dogs, too, Heights resident Tony Soll said.

“My favorite memory of Vivian is her singing ‘My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean’ to my pup Bonnie whenever we saw her. Bonnie loved that and everyone always beamed.” He added, “It was so sweet.”

Thought she was 20 years younger

“I met Vivian Levy at the St. Charles Jubilee Senior Center in 2010,” said Lois Berseth Hedlund. “When I mentioned that I had graduated from Brooklyn College, she asked me what year. When I said, 1958, she laughed and said she had graduated in 1939! I couldn’t believe it — I thought she was in her 70s, not her 90s!”

Hedlund recalled Levy’s positive outlook, her daily swimming, her reading of the New York Times and doing word puzzles to keep her mind sharp.

“In 2019, I recommended to Brooklyn College that she be awarded a Post 50th Award [Post 50th Lifetime Achievement Award]. It just so happened that her son, Builder Levy,  had graduated from Brooklyn College in 1969 and was well known as an accomplished photographer and author; he, too, received the award the same day at a celebratory luncheon at the college,” Hedlund said.

50 years at Cadman Towers

Levy was one of the original members of Cadman Towers on Cadman Plaza West in the Heights. The complex will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary.

“Vivian will be remembered for her warm and friendly smile and her vibrant spirit,” said Toba Potosky, Cadman Towers Board President. “Her name summons up a smile in all of us. That’s a great legacy. She will be missed.” 

Born in Kensington in 1919

Vivian Levy was born on July 18, 1919 in a small house in Kensington, Brooklyn, not quite the youngest of 10 children of Harry and Anna Hochhauser. (Only one sister, Dolly Perlstein, 98, is alive today, though other family members also lived past 100.)

Levy attended P.S. 130 and then P.S. 179. Always a good student, she won a spelling bee contest in 8th grade. She attended Erasmus Hall high school and then Brooklyn College where she studied science and math and graduated in 1939, in 3½ years.

Levy married Harold Levy in 1940 and the couple was very active in the peace movement and standing up for women’s rights. They had three children, Builder, Jay and Anita (who has passed away). In the 1950s Levy took teacher training courses and worked for 12 years in an elementary school. After that she switched to guidance counseling, training at Long Island College.

Levy retired in 1983 but was just as busy as ever. She and her husband hiked all the national parks and attended chamber music concerts and Broadway shows.

Later in life, Levy immersed herself in the life of the community. She helped found the Cadman Plaza Action Forum, a social organization which brought in guest speakers of special interest to the community, and was on the board of St. Charles Jubilee Center.

Her funeral will be held at the I. J. Morris Funeral Home, 1700 Coney Island Ave., on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 11 a.m.