Blackbird Reunion 2015 / Always looked forward to seeing Jack and Josie 
Will be thinking of all the dedicated work you did on the SR71 and the good times we spent together. 
Last and final Blackbird Reunion this year 2024
 
MISS YOU JACK

Good Bye Jack.  
You will be greatly missed.  
I wanted to say thank you for taking me out to teach me how to drive a stick shift.  It took a lot of practice but I finally got it!  You believed in me and spend the time to help me!  
Love and miss you!
Traci

Dearest Jack,

My, how long it has been since we last spoke or saw each other.  I miss you man!  You were always a good friend and shoulder of support and encouragement to lean on during the rough patches in life, we both know so well.

From the first time we met way back in Real Estate License Class we became friends and then brothers. 

Thank you, throughout all of our early years working and socializing together,  regardless of the circumstances, for always seeing the forgiving positive light that all will be well, as long as we keep our heart on the prize that goodness always brings.

You are a good man that I have had the extreme pleasure and honor to know and have as my friend.  

While we have not seen each other in person for some time, there has not been a day or week that has gone by that, in the past 20 years, thoughts of you and the many wonderful experiences we shared together in work and fun , cross my mind, heart, and soul.

All my Love to you and your Family my Brother, from one of the hundreds of persons you touched over the decades and will favor for generations to come.

You are a soaring Spirit,

Harsev, J.R. Thiara



To my dear cousin Josie and family,
We share your feelings of loss at the sudden passing of Jack. He touched our hearts with his calm demeanor and soft spoken words, and all the stories he shared. We'll always remember the smile that never left his face. These are the memories that will be with us forever.  We embrace all of you with our love and pray for comfort and strength in the days ahead. 

Janice, Danny and family

To my dearest cousins,  you have our heartfelt condolences.  There are no words at this time to express our grief at the loss of Jack.  As long as I can remember, Jack was always the quiet one among our loud and boisterous family.  He always maintained that infectious smile and calm demeanor.   I could converse with Jack about almost anything--from the kind of dream car I wanted, to sports, television, just about anything.      

Thank you Jack for all those wonderful memories.  You will never be completely gone as you have left an incredible legacy in your children and grandchildren.  Thank you for loving and caring for Josie--yours was truly a love story.  Rest well.  We will be reunited one day.

With love,
Phyllis & Robert

         Great job as a Father, raising your children to be smart, kind and caring.                
          I enjoyed our time together, exploring the Island with the family or just relaxing  at home watching a movie. You will be missed but always remembered. 

Please accept my condolences. Baje told me about Jack’s passing. I am so lucky to have called him a friend. He stayed in touch with me when I left Yuba City for my job with the State Dept. That was 25 years ago. He always had a kind word of encouragement - which always came at a time when I missed home or I was doubting myself in professional life. His words would get me through. I also very clearly remember one time he was visiting my Mom and Dad in Live Oak. We had a new puppy. Jack took his shoes off on the porch. Alas on his exit, he found only one shoe. The other one had been chewed up by the puppy. Jack just left and went home with one shoe. My heart and prayers are with you during this time. 

As I write my eyes fill with tears. I’ve put this off because I didn’t want to acknowledge reality. Our Dad was a quiet man unless he was talking about how proud he was of our family or to share non-classified info about the SR-71. When the Rabbi asked us today “What would Dad say right now?” my answer was “I’m so proud of all of you!”.  This has gotta be the toughest time of our family’s lives. Our Dad instilled strong family values in all of us and together we will continue to take care of Mom and each other! A bright double-rainbow was in front of Mom & I for about 35 minutes until we arrived in Fresno, Dad’s final resting place. I believe Dad had something to do with it! We love you and miss you, Dad! Til we are all together again. 💕

My memories growing up of my father Jack M Levine, was a man of great faith to his religion, supportive father of all of us children in all our endeavors.  He always put the needs of others first and strived to be helpful to whomever needed help.  He taught me that anything less than perfect in all we do was un-acceptable, which I later learned was an impossible bar to be perfect.... but pushed us to be perfect 'enough' to excel in all we do in life.  I watched my dad work at night fixing other peoples computers at the kitchen table and when I woke up from school in the morning I saw he never gave up because the job wasn't done yet.  That's dedication.... or maybe OCD, but whatever the case it was another person at the other end of the line that was being served by my dad.  He was quiet, yet commanded a presence of respect from us kids.  It was fear in the right way that has always attributed to the little voice in my mind that says "I shouldn't be doing this!"  Or "Go for it!".   He came to my baseball & soccer games and I'm certain till this day, he didn't know the rules of either.  That's bad when the umpire doesn't show up to our baseball game and dad volunteers to call the game.....Thank God Dennis was in town visiting from school to take over after the 2nd inning!  

Thank you Dad for many life lessons, guidance, support, loving, and appreciating us as your family.  You showed it in peculiar ways somehow but I always knew you loved us so much and always wanted the best for us.  Till me meet again Dad!  I love you and miss you more than ever.  We will keep your memory alive.

Love 
Craig, Jacob, Caleb & Elijah

My brother-in-law Jack and I had so much in common. We both had Air Force careers  in the reconnaissance field.  One memory of Jack is when I was in the NCO Academy and had to give a presentation.  I chose the SR-71 which was one of Jack’s favorite subjects. I contacted Jack to see if he had any information I could use in the presentation.  He sent me several photos of the SR-71 which included the cockpit area.  After my presentation one of the members of my class pulled me aside.  He told me that the cockpit photos were considered to be classified information. He said no one without the proper security clearance could view them. Ironically, my presentation was selected by the instructors to show future presenters how to create a quality presentation.  I will dearly miss Jack and especially his stories about the SR-71. Rest in Peace Jack!

I wish I could have spent more time with Jack and gotten to know him better.  I do know that he was a good man, with a lovely wife of over a half century, four amazing children and seven incredible grandchildren.  He had much to be proud of.  His legacy is strong and will live on through his progeny, of that I am certain.  

I find solace in knowing that uncle Jack is now taking comfort in being reunited with his sister, brother and other loved ones in Heaven.  I hope you do as well.

I hope that your memories give you peace and comfort, at this difficult time.  You are all in my thoughts.  My sincerest condolences to the whole family.  Sending healing prayers and comforting hugs.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Fern Peterson and family

Our hearts are truly broken when we heard about our Uncle Jack.  He was a sweet and kind man who was always happy to hear from us and would fill us in on all the happenings of the family. I, Adora, will never forget the time at my cousin Dennis wedding in Tahoe at the casino and I went to play keno. He looks at and said Adora what are you doing you're not old enough.  I said Uncle Jack I'm 22 years old now. I think I'm good.  We both had a great laugh about that one. He was always looking after others first  Uncle Jack was very much loved by us and I know the whole family and will be greatly missed.  We love you. May you RIP.  Love you Uncle Jack. With our deepest condolences. We love you Aunt 
Josie, Lynise,  Dennis,  Craig, and Cindy. Hugs and kisses,  Adora, Peter,  Andrew and Alex Weiss.  

Friendship to last a lifetime part 2
Terry and Jack were always in trouble when they got together. One day they decided to make “whiskey”. Neither of them drank but thy found a recipe of how to make whiskey out of potatoes. Needless to say, the end of that adventure was a disaster, the smell of rotting potatoes permeated through the house for weeks.  Another funny adventure was when they decided to cut each other hair to save money, Needless to say the results were very unpleasant and comical. They had to wait until the hair grew again and were able to have it cut by professionals.
Since we didn’t have any money to go out, our favorite pastime was to play “Aggravation” We spent hours and hours playing it. Jack was very competitive and so was I, so I am sure there were many nights in which one of us was  grumbling going back to our own house.
We kept in touch through the years, sharing the arrival of our babies and then sharing their accomplishments. We met again in California to celebrate our 25th year anniversary, we didn’t see each other for 25 years but our friendship continued strong.  We were hoping to meet again soon. We will miss Jack and feel lucky to have had the opportunity to know him.
Terry and Myriam Mansell

FRIENDSHIP THAT LASTED A LIFE TIME
It was the 60s during the Viet Nam Era, my husband and I just got married and we found ourselves in a place that was so foreign, especially to me.  While my husband was now working at the Air Force base in Rantoul, Illinois I was left at home at strange place with no friends and no way to move around. One afternoon I decided to introduce myself to the neighbors.  I went from house to house in which appeared to be a row of small houses reserved for people that were serving in the Armed Forces. At the two first houses that I introduced myself they looked at me as if I was from another planet, but when I arrived at the fourth house, there was this young couple (The Levines) that greeted me enthusiastically and with welcoming phrases. I remember they were eating pizza and immediately invited me to share their food.
This was the beginning of a friendship that has lasted more that 58 years.  Rantoul was a place new for both of us. I found out that Jack and Josie had just gotten married the week before and we were recently married also. So we became friends, learning from one another and even sharing food when we ran out of it at the end of the month. We didn’t have any money but we had a great time.

Memory from Baje Thiara

May you find peace in your memories. Jack was a lovely man.

MEMORY FROM DONNA CLARK


I have wonderful memories of Jack. He leaves quite a legacy- his beautiful family of course, but also the many lives he touched as a teacher, mentor and volunteer for our Jewish community.
May his memory be for blessing.

It is so difficult to process the fact that we have now lost not only your dad, but so many members of one of my favorite families - the Levines. While our lives have taken us in many different directions, we always shared the treasured memories of our childhood. How lucky we were and are. Goodbye my dear Cousin.
-Annette Heyman

I liked Jack a lot, He loved to talk just like me.  We always would talk about computers or the military, He and I are both Vietnam Vets. Me Navy and him Airforce. We both defended our contry! I will miss him and his conversatins very much!  God Bless you Josie! I love you!   

OBITUARY

Jack Marvin Levine

October 24, 1944 – February 28, 2023

Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home

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