Vicky Lynn Levinson
January 12, 1950 - April 11, 2014

All who knew Vicky Levinson would agree that there was no one she met who wasnt changed for the better. She was kindhearted and gentle with just the right amount of spice thrown in. Vicky inspired others with her quiet strength and her unwavering courage that never waned even when the way before her was anything but easy. She was successful in her career and well respected by others, and although she found her work to be rewarding there was nothing she loved more than being with her beloved husband and family. Everything Vicky did was laced with compassion, and her devotion to her loved ones was truly unmatched. Life will never be the same without Vicky here, but her memory will remain forever near and dear to the hearts of all who were blessed to feel her touch.
As the calendar turned to welcome in a new year and a new decade, America was poised for greatness. After the end of WWII in 1945, countless servicemen returned to their families, resumed their careers, and attended school on the GI Bill. The 1950s continued to witness the baby boom that brought with it an explosion in new home construction in addition to a focus on space as we launched the first satellite to orbit the earth. It was just as this decade was dawning that a young couple from Lima, Ohio, was pleased to announce the birth of their baby girl on January 12, 1950. Vicky Lynn was one of two children born to her parents, Lloyd Jr. and Nodie (Dielman) Foulks, and she was raised in the family home alongside her brother, Chad, or Chaddy as she affectionately called him.
When she was in the fifth grade Vickys fathers job with the railroad moved them to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, where she was a student at local schools. Her high school years found her at Snyder High School, and she went on to graduate in 1968. Vicky also continued her schooling in college.
With a fun-loving spirit of adventure, Vicky began training with the airlines and was based out of Buffalo, New York, as a flight attendant with American Airlines beginning on November 30, 1972. She was very successful in her work as she was not only an international flight attendant, but she was also in charge of coordinating all the hotel rooms and cars for her coworkers in addition to coordinating when food, drinks, and movies would go out to the passengers while in flight. Vicky loved her work and was so very proud of being a flight attendant. She retired in February of 2008.
Not to be forgotten during Vickys years as a young woman was her introduction to the man with whom she would share the best years of her life. His name was Louis Levinson, and they met on March 30, 1975, because she was casually dating one of his friends at the time. Vicky brought along her friend, Barbara, as a date for Louis, but there were no real sparks between he and Barbara so he asked for Vickys number. The rest is history as they say, and they soon found themselves in love. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together, Vicky and Louis were married on July 28, 1978, in her parents backyard back in Ft. Wayne.
Throughout their married life Vicky and Louis were true companions in every way. They loved traveling all over together with some of their more memorable trips taking them all around Europe, to Hawaii several times, to the Caribbean, Mexico, and all over the continental United States while taking full advantage of Vickys connections with the airlines. She also had fun taking her Auntie Rachel to Las Vegas. However, Vicky and her husbands favorite trip was the one they took to Rome when her best friend Barbaras husband, Captain Bob, invited them to join him on his final flight and trip. The couple also enjoyed just relaxing at home with good steaks on the grill accompanied by a nice Cabernet and a movie or two. They later welcomed their perfect little boy into their family, their miniature pinscher, Ed, that they were introduced to by Vickys stepdaughter, Lisa. Ed completed their family and was so deeply treasured that Vicky and Louis stopped traveling since they would miss him too much.
Relationships with extended family were also very important to Vicky. When she was back home from international flights on weekends she often went home to Ft. Wayne to visit with her family. She was always very close to her Aunt Rachel and her brother. When her father was very ill, Vicky took a year off of work to care for her him until his death on June 30, 2005. Even after the death of her father she returned to his condo in Columbia City almost on a monthly basis to see her family, especially her nieces and nephews whom she adored along with the friends she had grew up with. Vicky was the event coordinator of the family for the holidays and especially enjoyed Thanksgiving. She also loved dressing their house in Buffalo for Christmas as it was always well lit and festive, which put both she and Louis in the perfect holiday spirit.
Life took an unexpected turn for Vicky and her loved ones she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July of 2011 just prior to moving from Buffalo to Arizona. Although she was not expected to live long, Vicky was a courageous fighter who had a strong will to live. After receiving chemotherapy treatments, Ed, who was very protective of Vicky, would be right by her side in bed. Vicky found strength in her Lutheran faith and enjoyed attending services at her Carefree Lutheran Church with Pastor Bob in Arizona.
A woman who was truly beautiful on the inside and out, Vicky Levinson was a gift to others in every way. She was generous, compassionate, and ever mindful of people with unending love for her family and friends. Vicky took every moment captive and lived it to the fullest, even when engaged in the difficult fight for her life. She was the perfect picture of grace, humility, and devotion to her loved ones. Vicky will be deeply missed but never forgotten.
Vicky L. (Foulks) Levinson, of Carefree, AZ, died on Friday, April 11, 2014. Vickys family includes her husband of 35 years, Louis Levinson of Carefree, AZ; brother, Chad (Kimberly) Foulks of Ft. Wayne; auntie, Rachel Riegle of Lima, OH; stepdaughter, Lisa Newsome; grandson, Rowen Newsome; nieces, Ashley Snyder and Lindsay Foulks; her perfect little boy, Ed; and numerous loving friends. Vicky was preceded in death by her parents; uncle, Marion Riegle; and grandparents, Victor and Pauline Dielman. Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 17, 2014, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. and Friday from 9-10 a.m. at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City, IN. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, April 18, 2014, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at St. Matthew Lutheran Cemetery, Lima, OH. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Vicky's memory to the SPCA.

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