John Allan LeVay, Jr.

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John Allan LeVay, Jr., 85, Richmond, Virginia, died peacefully surrounded by loved ones, after a long illness on January 10, 2013 at the Windsor Senior Living Nursing Home. John is survived by his wife, Alice Darhanian LeVay; his brother, James LeVay, and sister-in-law, Caroline LeVay; daughters, Anne Webb and Elizabeth Ashworth; grandsons, Patrick Kane and John Webb; and granddaughters Grace Ashworth and Ting Ashworth; and a host of other relatives and friends. John's first wife, Joanne Anderson LeVay, preceded John in death in September 1990 and granddaughter Hannah Ashworth preceded John in death in January 1998. John was born on January 13, 1927 in the city of Annapolis, Md to Esther Evelyn LeVay and John Allan LeVay, Sr. He lived in Annapolis with his mother, father and younger brother, surrounded by aunts and uncles, until he entered the U.S. Army in 1944 (just shy of his 18th birthday). John served in the Philippines until the end of the war and returned to the U.S. to attend (more than one) college on the GI Bill. After stints at the University of Denver and University of Texas, he landed at the American University in Washington D.C. During his time at AU, he liked to think of himself as a socialist—taking on professors in class discussions—but also showed a great interest and talent for drama. He worked for the University’s radio station where he met his first wife, Joanne. The two married in 1952 in Philadelphia – and with the encouragement of his father-in-law, Robert “Doc” Anderson, John attended Temple Law School, receiving his degree in 1959. John and Joanne had two children, Anne and Elizabeth, in 1957 and 1962. John began his career with the department of Housing and Urban Development upon graduating from law school. He had a life-long interest in city planning, and one of his first HUD projects involved working on the gentrification of the Society Hill section of Philadelphia.John’s interests were varied. He loved the Boston Red Sox, the Redskins and reading the newspaper cover to cover. He was an actor at heart and performed in local theater productions in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia-including leads in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Waiting for Godot, The Lady is Not for Burning and The Innocents. John became an avid tennis player in the early thirties and served on the board of the Germantown Cricket Club. He was a USTA sanctioned umpire and remained active in the tennis world when he and his family relocated to Richmond, Virginia in 1970. Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, John and Joanne managed or participated in a number of Virginia State, MALTA and USTA tennis tournaments. John was a long-time member of the Westwood Club. After the death of his first wife, John was blessed with meeting and falling in love with Alice Darhanian. Alice and John met at Westwood and immediately clicked. The two shared the same sense of humor, an interest for traveling and a love for tennis. They were beloved grandparents. Throughout their marriage, John suffered several setbacks with his health and Alice was a patient and loving caretaker. In 2009 he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and was in and out of home care, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and ultimately the Windsor. John’s family would like to thank all of the many aides, nurses, social workers and doctors who gave him such good care over these many years. He spent time at St. Mary’s Hospital, Glen Burnie Rehabilitation Center, West Port Nursing Center, and the Windsor, as well as under the loving care of Horizons’ Hospice. We send particular love and gratitude to Jayne A. Christian, who was able to bring the brightest of light into the darkest of places while she cared for dad.

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