Rachel M. Levy
Jan. 14, 1932-March 3, 2022
Palo Alto, California
Submitted by Dena Levy

Born in Lake Alma, Saskatchewan, Canada, Rachel Michelson Levy had a full life that saw her married to Donald Marc Levy for 64 years, with children Marc D. Levy and Dena B. Levy (Mark Goldstein); grandchildren Aaron D. Levy (Andrea Stewart) and Isabel B. Goldstein; sister, Evelyn Michelson Stock (Howard Stock); and brother-in-law, Robert Levy (Kathleen Alexander). She passed away on March 3rd after a protracted struggle with Alzheimer’s.

Rachel moved to Westford, Massachusetts with her parents as a young child where she grew up on a chicken farm. She started driving at the age of 12 to help deliver eggs to customers. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where she majored in math. Over the years she worked in the Engineering Departments at both the University of Iowa and Stanford University. She ended her career as Computer Administrator for the School of Engineering at Stanford, where she quickly became an expert at Lotus machines and the ARPA-net. In all of these places, she made life-long friends who treasured her intelligence, quick wit and ability to get along with any and everyone.

Rachel met her husband, Donald, over a bridge table after failing to set him up with her roommate. They continued playing bridge through much of their marriage.

Rachel was an avid knitter, weaver, dabbler in spinning, occasional needle-pointer, and sewer. There was not a knitting project she could not tackle, and her hands were almost always full of yarn and needles, crafting her beautiful creations. She gave generously of her time, volunteering with a variety of organizations, including Black Sheep Handweavers Guild, ORT and Hadassah. Outgoing and gregarious, she also loved cooking for others and everywhere she lived, she formed dinner groups featuring menus from around the world.

Rachel also loved traveling and exploring new places. She enjoyed discovering local artisans and bringing home her “finds.” Don and Rachel cruised regularly, often bringing their children with them. Their love of travel extended to their children and grandchildren.

Like her husband, she counted among her greatest successes watching her children grow and thrive, and then her grandchildren doing the same.

She will be deeply missed.