Richard Leon Levy

RICHARD LEON LEVY DOB October 24, 1943 Dick was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Marion (Freiberg) and Leon Edwin Levy. He attended University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, graduating in 1969. After years of post-doctoral education in Atlanta, Cincinnati, and San Diego, Dick practiced internal medicine and oncology in San Diego, before returning home to Cincinnati. He founded an integrated oncology practice, Oncology Hematology Care (OHC), of which he remained President until 2013. Under his leadership, OHC grew to be one of the largest private cancer practices in the country. Dick loved working with all of the physicians, nurses, technicians, and employees at OHC, Jewish Hospital, and the many other hospitals he worked at over the years. Dick cared for many people with varying stages of cancer over his thirty years of medical practice. He believed passionately that the care he rendered helped people. He was a pioneer in community-based medicine and believed in serving patients in whatever community needed services most. His vision and leadership helped change how cancer care is delivered. With seemingly boundless energy, Dick had many interests. He loved running whitewater rivers in the West and Northwest, and was passionate about his nature photography, which brought him all over the world. Dick had a genius for friendship, and he cherished the relationships he built with his friends over the years. Their support throughout the progression of his illness meant the world to Dick and his family. Dick loved his family more than anything in the world. He adored Madelyn, his wife of forty-six years. They met in 1968 at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, and their life took them to Cincinnati, Del Mar, CA, and back to Cincinnati, where they made their home and raised their family. After his diagnosis, Madelyn devoted her time to lovingly care for Dick. Most of all, Dick loved his children. He indulged them, nurtured them, counseled them, protected them, worried about them, laughed with them, had loads of fun with them, was devoted to them, and loved them passionately. He could often be found on the golf course with John and David, at Liz’s horse shows, or on the ski slopes with all three of them. And his kids loved him as much as he loved them. Like their mother, his children were devoted to him, helping care for Dick throughout the progression of his disease, and spending as much as they possibly could with him. Dick’s father, Leon Levy, predeceased him. Dick is survived by his mother, Marion Levy, his wife Madelyn (Meyers) Levy, sons John (Emily) Levy, and David Levy (Pamela Bitzenhofer), daughter Elizabeth (Kevin Koller) Levy, and granddaughter Caroline Koller. He is also survived by his loving brother John (Lori) Levy of Cincinnati, and many nieces and nephews in Ohio, Louisiana, Texas and Canada. After battling Parkinson’s Disease with a vengeance for over twelve years, Dick passed away peacefully on March 22, 2017 surrounded by his family. The family would like to thank the many doctors, nurses, and home health aides who helped care for Dick over the years, as well as his partners who were so supportive of him. We were blessed to have these individuals supporting and caring for Dick and us. The visitation will be at at Weil Funeral Home at 8350 Cornell Road on Friday March 24, 2017 from 4pm to 7pm. Funeral services will be held Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Weil Funeral Home. Burial will follow the funeral service at the United Jewish Cemetery in Walnut Hills. Friends may join the family Sunday afterwards at Coldstream Country Club for a celebration of Dick’s life. NO FLOWERS PLEASE. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

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Richard Leon Levy

October 24, 1943 - March 22, 2017