Cynthia F. Levinson

Cynthia Farkas Levinson died on July 3, 2021, a little more than 3.5 years after suffering a devastating cerebral hemorrhage. Before and after her bleed Cindy was generous, considerate, clever, uncommonly steady in a crisis, and unswervingly loyal to the people, causes, and communities she loved. It was impossible for her ever, ever to be a jerk.

Cindy grew up in Beaver PA, attended Mt. Holyoke College, and remained deeply attached to her school friends until her death. After earning a doctorate in clinical psychology from Boston University, she worked in child guidance and community mental health clinics and then focused her career primarily on neuropsychological evaluations of children. She also served on the Board of the MA Neuropsych Society. She was working in retirement for the MA Statewide Head Injury Program when she was felled by a significant brain bleed, most likely a ruptured aneurysm. It took months for her to speak again, but at the end she was reminding friends that differential equations came before integral ones.

The Temple Emanuel community in Newton was her spiritual home. She studied for an adult bat mitzvah, served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and most deeply loved the Temple Sisterhood, serving as its co-president. She had few fixed convictions about spirituality, but she cherished this community for its shared historical roots and humane values and was a gracious but fierce advocate for women’s rightful role in religious leadership.

Cindy was also universally admired her for her sophisticated knitting and crochet skills, which she modestly dismissed as nothing special. This modesty was mistaken, but entirely typical of her refusal to assume affectations of any kind.

Cindy loved and is survived by her children Richard and Em, her daughter-in-law Jenn, and much doted on grandson Hugo. She was adored by her mother-in-law, Madge, from the moment they met till now in Madge’s 97th year. And her husband Dan. They were a month shy of 48 years of marriage and about five months from the day they fell in love 50 years ago.

Donations can be made in her memory to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospitals, Planned Parenthood or the charity of your choice.