Jack Levy; passionate about fish, golf, family
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Jack Levy's great passions were fish, golf and family, although not necessarily in that order.
Mr. Levy and his younger brother, Gary, owned City Fish Market in the Pike Place Market from 1946 until Mr. Levy sold his half-share in 1988.
Co-chairman of the effort to save the Market in the early 1970s, Mr. Levy was the heart and soul of the shop, recalled his brother, easily bantering with customers about the finer points of fish and cooking.
He was a proud father, said family and friends, and was known among the other fishmongers and the golfers at his country club as a man of good spirits and gentle demeanor.
Mr. Levy died Jan. 20 after a short bout with cancer. He was 87.
His father co-founded Sephardic Bikur Cholim Synagogue in Seward Park, and Mr. Levy grew up on 23rd Avenue and Yesler Way, in one of the stately Queen Anne-style houses that have been slowly renovated over the years. He graduated from Garfield High School and served in the Army during World War II, decoding Japanese messages in New Guinea.
When he returned from the war, he and brother Gary took over their father's business, City Market Fish.
"He really liked the people," said Jack Levy's son, Bruce. "He treated people not like customers but like friends."
In the early 1970s, architect Victor Steinbrueck tapped him to co-chair the bond issue to preserve the Market.
Mr. Levy told a reporter in 1985 that his part in the preservation effort began with a single conversation: "Vic wanted me to be chairman of some kind of bonds committee. I said, 'Hey, Vic, I don't know about this stuff. All I know is about salmon and halibut.' And Vic said, 'Good, good. If you say anything about bonds, I'll kill you. Keep talking about salmon and halibut.' "
In 1988, Mr. Levy sold his share of the business to his brother, who eventually sold it in 1995.
The new owner, Jon Daniels, said Mr. Levy would often drop by to see how things were going.
"He always cared," said Daniels. "He still had that competitive edge."
His brother remembers a man who liked to cook, liked to look nice and loved to golf.
"He was jovial and outgoing," said Gary Levy. "And he was a hell of a good dancer."
Mr. Levy belonged to the Glendale Country Club in Bellevue for years, and his memorial Jan. 22 was attended by many of his longtime golfing buddies.
"I never played with him," said his son, "but he left me his clubs, so I'll be playing with him in spirit."
Besides his son and brother, Mr. Levy is survived by his wife, Esther Levy; another brother, John; another son, David; a daughter, Karen Rubin; and four grandchildren.
Remembrances may be made to the Kline Galland Home and the American Cancer Society.
Alex Fryer can be reached at 206-464-8124 or afryer@seattletimes.com.