Alvin Ellis Levine

Alvin passed away on August 25, 2016. He was born August 29, 1932 in Wadesboro, North Carolina and grew up in Rockingham, North Carolina in a Russian Jewish immigrant family with his sister Dorothy and brothers Sherman and Leon. The family owned the Hub Department store and all family members worked in the store. Unexpectedly, his father passed away when Alvin was 16.

His leadership skills were honed in his high school years when Al was the president of his senior class and was on the debate team. He played first base on the high school baseball team and was in the Junior ROTC.

Alvin attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he studied business administration and continued on the debate team. Following college, he was stationed in the Air Force near Kansas City where met his first wife Maxine Levine (Hanya Kandlis).

Al and Maxine were married for 27 years and had five children, Lani, David, Daniel, Darin and Jayme. They began their life together in Charlotte in 1956, where Alvin started Pic n Pay Shoe Stores with his brother-in-law Al Segal, which grew to a chain close to 800 stores. His first store was located in the now famous Plaza Midwood area. Uniquely, each of his brothers also had their first stores in the same block on Central Ave. Leon Levine, Family Dollar Stores and Sherman Levine, Sherman’s Limited. Pic n Pay Shoes went public in 1972 and was sold to Bata Shoe Company in 1979. Al retired from the shoe business in 1985 at the age of 53.

Through these fruitful years, Al was civic minded and served on the many boards and organizations, including Charlotte Memorial Hospital, Carolinas Medical Center, the Mint Museum, and United Jewish Appeal (UJA). He was a lifelong member of Temple Israel and one of the founding fathers of Shalom Park. The true spirit of charity, with gifts large and small to individuals and organizations, was part of who Al Levine was.

Ever the entrepreneur, in 1984, Alvin founded Levine Properties with his son Daniel. The company’s growth, its contributions to the Charlotte community, and Al’s relationships with the many fine individuals at Levine Properties, were a source of pride and joy.

Al married Helene Koenigsberg in 1986. They built a beautiful life together over almost 30 years, sharing winters in Boca Raton, Florida, summers in Hound Ears in the North Carolina mountains, and the balance of the year home in Charlotte. They referred to each other as the “Chairman of the Board” and the “Charge Nurse.” Their families grew with spouses and grandchildren.

During the years of Al’s semi-retirement, he devoted himself to his golf game. He was very competitive and derived much happiness from the game and his friendships on the golf course.

It is said “Everyone Loves Al Levine.” Boy, is that the truth. Alvin was a warm loving man who knew no strangers. He will be so very missed by so many, especially his family.

He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Helene Levine; daughters, Lani Levine, Tel Aviv, Israel and Jayme Levine, Charlotte; sons, David (wife Janice) Levine, Highlands, NC, Darin Levine, Charlotte and Daniel (wife Leigh) Levine, Charlotte; grandchildren, Liv Levine and Luc Levine; and by his stepchildren: Sandy (husband Jimmy) Cihlar and their daughter, Winnie Cleary; Sammy (wife Melinda) Koenigsberg and their children, Jonah, Micah, Benjamin and Ezra, Noey, Anna, Abigail and Ruth Koenigsberg; and Suzanne (husband Henry) Wright and their children, Madison, Mackenzie and Marley Wright. He is also survived by his brother, Leon (wife Sandra) Levine, along with 16 nieces and nephews.

Al was preceded in death by parents, Harry and Minnie Levine; sister, Dorothy (husband Albert) Segal; brother, Sherman (wife Alyce) Levine; and his first wife, Maxine (Hanya Kandlis) Levine.

The family would like to give its eternal gratitude to his doctors and caregivers who took such amazing and loving care of him during his extended illness: Dr. Ed Bradford, Dr. Asim Amin, Dr. John Doty, Dr. Richard White, Dr. Warren Holshouser, the team of doctors at Metrolina Nephrology, the staff and nurses at Carolinas Medical Center, and wonderful caregivers Revonda Crowder, Shenna and Michael Anderson, Toni Lofton, Vera & Val Adzyvkh, and Rebecca Whitener.

The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 28th, at Temple Israel. Burial will follow at Hebrew Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Levine Cancer Institute, Carolinas HealthCare Foundation, 208 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28203, or donors may go to www.givecarolinas.org/cancer.