Peter L. Levinson

Peter Levinson, 78, beloved husband, cherished father, proud grandfather, loving brother and wonderful friend, passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 13, 2022, at Harbor Point in Centerville on Cape Cod. He was predeceased by his father Budd Levinson, and his mother Ruth Heller Schiffer, as well as his stepmother Dr. Judith Sulzberger, stepfather Dr. Morton Schiffer and stepbrother Dan Cohen. Peter grew up in Rye, New York, graduated from Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, served in the National Guard and attended New York University. Peter lived as a “man in full.” Always intellectually curious, he embraced life and continually expanded his horizons as a voracious reader, passionate sailor, adventurous traveler and highly successful business man who was deeply interested in the experiences and insights of everyone fortunate enough to meet him.

Left to cherish the wonderful memories of life with Peter are his wife Joan, ever his partner in adventure and, in recent years, his devoted caregiver and advocate; his beloved daughters, Lori Paprin of Killington, VT, and Debra Yaghmaie (Maz) of Stamford, CT; much-loved grandsons Samuel and Joshua Paprin, and Grant and Mason Deitz; devoted siblings Ruth Andrea Levinson (Bahram Keramati) and James Heller Levinson (Mary Newell), step-siblings Peggy Schiffer, Holly Schiffer (Jeff Zucker), Leah Cohen, Jace Cohen and Barbara Carey, as well as his uncle, Robert Levinson, and a multitude of nieces, nephews and cousins. He also leaves many dear friends, including Peter Siris and Barbara Wyckoff, Ross and Linda Rapaport, Lee and Cicily Backus, and Werner Keller.

Peter’s lifelong passion for sailing took hold when he was 7 years old and never let go. Peter mastered celestial navigation and seized any opportunity to be on the water – sailing and racing on Long Island Sound, Block Island Race Week, Antigua Race Week and the Vineyard Race. He even incorporated sailing into his honeymoon when he chartered a 48-ft. sailboat to compete with friends in his third 635-nautical-mile Newport Bermuda Race in 1988. He captained the boat and welcomed aboard his new bride as the chef, tasked with feeding 11 hungry guys throughout the days-long race.

An independent insurance broker, Peter retired in 2013 as president of Edward A. Goodman Co, Inc., in White Plains, NY, after building and expanding the business for more than four decades. A consummate networker through BNI and other business affiliations, he was generous with sound advice, provided valuable connections and great encouragement to many young men and women (including his nieces and nephews) seeking new professional opportunities. Peter is best remembered for his welcoming smile, startlingly blue eyes, impeccable manners, dry sense of humor and great humanity. Even on his last day, he quietly applauded a nurse and told her, “You’re doing a wonderful job.”

After moving to South Chatham in April 2021, Peter’s life was enhanced every day by his wonderful caregivers, first at home, and then during his 11 months at Harbor Point. Joan, Lori and Deb would like to thank Tina Cusson for connecting them with the resources Peter needed. They also thank Jean Copeland, R.N., for her support and exceptional home care staff, and the Broad Reach Hospice team. They want to express their gratitude to the enlightened leadership and heroic caregivers at Harbor Point for their unfailing efforts to normalize life as much as possible given the devastating cognitive disorders – including Peter’s diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia – that have upended the lives of their vulnerable residents and overwhelmed families. We are deeply grateful for all they did to keep Peter safe, well-cared for and, amazingly, so happy throughout his last year.

No funeral is planned. Nickerson Funeral Home at www.nickersonfunerals.com has been entrusted with other arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations in Peter’s memory can be made in support of his extraordinarily dedicated and compassionate caregivers at Benchmark’s Harbor Point Memory Care Community by sending a check to the Benchmark One Company Fund, 201 Jones Rd., Waltham, MA 02451 – or given Peter’s love of birding, an online gift in support of the Massachusetts Audubon Society at massaudubon.org would be appreciated. For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com.