Jack Foreman Levitt, Age 92, Of Battle Creek, 92, died Sunday, November 9, 2014 at Calhoun County Medical Care Facility. Jack was born June 30, 1922 in Taos, New Mexico to Erastus and Cora (Foreman) Levitt. He enlisted in the Navy at age 18 during his senior year of high school. Following his honorable separation from military service he earned his high school diploma from Battle Creek Central High School. Later, through work related schooling, he became a "Dale Carnegie" graduate. He was employed at Oliver Aviation in Battle Creek, Michigan, supervising as a sheet metal foreman in a new plant acquired by Oliver's to build the main fuselage section of the RB37 for the Boeing Aircraft Company. He set up the Tube Bending Dept. and was transferred to the Sub Assembly Dept as General Foreman. Through various promotions he was eventually assigned to the Fabrication Dept., responsible over a large number of employees. As the aircraft contract phased-out he left the company and was later employed at Hydreco, General Signal Corporation in Galesburg, MI in various supervisory positions and development of “quality control" manuals for the company. He retired from there for medical reasons after more than 20 years of service. Jack enjoyed swimming at the VA during his later years in life, playing and watching golf, especially Tiger Woods, the Cubs and cards with family, memorizing and reciting dozens of poems which began during his enlistment to help pass the time while at sea and to calm both himself and those sailors under his command upon approaching battles. Jack was well known around southwest Michigan as one of the area's "Pearl Harbor Survivors", having been stationed on the USS Nevada. He attended many annual ceremonies held at Fort Custer National Cemetery, honoring all the fallen military personnel lost that day. Although Jack was most known for being a "Pearl Harbor Survivor", he earned medals for participation in the following battles during WWII: Aleutian Islands, April, 1943, Normandy (D-Day) June, 1944. The Nevada lead the armada! Cherbourg, France, June 1944, Bay of Tropez, France, August 1944, Iwo Jima, February, 1944 and Okinawa, March 1945. Jack was also present at the Atomic Bomb Test, "Crossroads" at the Bikini Atoll Islands, July, 1946. The Nevada was a target during the "Able" (air detonation) and "Baker" (shallow underwater detonation) and was decommissioned a month later following the tests. Jack was discharged later that same year with the rank of Boatswain's Mate 1st Class. After Jack's return to Battle Creek from the navy, he met "the most beautiful woman in Battle Creek" Fern E. Miller. They married July 28, 1947. He was her prince throughout their marriage. She proceeded him in death, March, 2006 after almost 59 years of marriage. He was a devoted, loving father. Surviving children are: Susan Kitson of Sturgis, MI, Janet (Tom) Scott of East Leroy, MI and Mark Levitt of Battle Creek, MI. Also surviving are five grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren and only sister, Louise Robinson, of Battle Creek, MI. Preceding him in death were brothers Jim, Olin and Leo Levitt and parents Erastus and Cora (Foreman) Levitt. In accordance with his wishes cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, November 13, 2014, at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home with Jack’s nephew; Pastor Jim Levitt of Harvest Evangelical Free Church, Story City, IA, officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Inurnment with full military honors will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. www.henryfuneralhome.org
