Person:Mark Levey (3)

  Featured Page: Week of 6 June 2021

About Mark Levey

Mark Benjamin Levey was born 25 January 1929 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Ralph Phillipson Levey (1900-1986) and Alice Schmid (1903-1994). Mark went to high school at University High School in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from high school, Mark attended college at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), graduating in 1951. The following year, he married first, Patricia June “Pattie” Spector on 12 October 1952 in Los Angeles County, California [California Marriage Index, 1949-1959]. They had two children together, daughter Nancy (who married Jeff Cherry) and son Alan (who married Deborah Dorskind). Patricia passed away on 26 September 1994 in Los Angeles County, California, from cancer and Mark later re-married to his wife Pearl Rae Kortz in 1998.

Mark, along with fellow college student, Norman Katz, went on to form a grocery brokerage company, named “Normark”, using both of their first names in the naming of their new endeavor. Mark’s father Ralph would provide much of the initial investment and helped them obtain the first three accounts: Ming Tea, Aborn’s Coffee and E. Waldo Ward, a Sierra Madre packer of marmalades. During the first few years, Mark and Norman Katz worked long hours getting their new brokerage company established and getting their products into retail accounts, but Norman had to supplement his income, so he purchased a grocery store. In 1954, Mark, with his father Ralph’s assistance, bought out Norman Katz’s interest in the company for $5,000, and Mark re-named the company Normark & Associates. Mark served as Normark’s Vice President from 1952 until 1961 and as Executive Vice President from 1961 to 1972 when he became President. In 1989, he became Chairman and CEO. He served in that capacity until 1996 when the company was sold to Kelly-Clarke and the combined company became southern California’s largest food brokerage company with offices in San Francisco and Phoenix. Normark was considered by many in the supermarket industry as the premier perishable food brokerage company on the west coast for several decades.

Mark Levey was a charter member and leader in the Southern California Deli Council, a local trade association dedicated to the education and promotion of the Dairy, Deli, Bakery and Meat industry. Mark ran for a spot on the Council’s Board of Directors in 1969. During the formative years of the Deli Council, Mark Levey provided his leadership in several of the council’s key committees including the Fun Day, Dinner Dance, City of Hope and Deli Seminar Committees. Mark also served as the Chairman for the City of Hope’s Food Industry Circle and also on the Board of Directors, serving in numerous board capacities during his tenure. He received the City of Hope’s “Spirit of Life” Award and was also honored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews with its “Humanitarian Award”.

For his participation and leadership in the Southern California Deli Council, Mark Levey was first recognized in 1978, when he was awarded the council’s “Supplier of the Year” award. He was also awarded the council’s “Hall of Fame” award in 1996, and along with his father Ralph and son Mark, received the council’s “Lifetime Achievement Award” on October 13, 2016. Mark passed away 11 April 2021 in Los Angeles County, California at age 92. He leaves behind his son Alan Levey and his wife Deborah and his daughter Nancy Cherry. He also leaves behind his wife Pearlie Ray and many grandchildren. Mark was a pioneer in the food brokerage business whose leadership, generosity and friendship will never be forgotten.

1.   United States. U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947. (Ancestry.com [database online], 2011).

   Name: Mark Benjamin Levey
   Gender: Male
   Race: White
   Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head)
   Birth Date: 25 Jan
   Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois, USA
   Residence Place: Bevarley Hill, California, USA
   Registration Date: 31 Jan
   Registration Place: Bevarley Hill, California, USA
   Employer: Student Universtiy High Westwood
   Weight: 156
   Complexion: Ruddy
   Eye Color: Other
   Hair Color: Brown
   Height: 6' 1
   Next of Kin: Ralph Levey
   Household Members: Name Relationship
   Mark Benjamin Levey Self (Head)
   Ralph Levey Father

2.   Cook, Illinios, United States. Cook County, Birth Index, 1916-1935. (Cook, Illiniois, United States: Cook County Clerk's Office, 2008).

   Name: Mark Levey
   Birth Date: 25 Jan 1929
   Birth Location: Cook County, IL
   File Number: 6003259
   Archive Collection Name: Cook County Genealogy Records (Births)
   Archive repository location: Chicago, IL
   Archive repository name: Cook County Clerk

3.   Legacy.com.

   Mark Benjamin Levey
   1929 - 2021
   
   January 25, 1929 - April 11, 2021 With heavy hearts we share the passing of Mark Benjamin Levey on April 11th. Mark was born on January 25th, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois to proud parents Ralph and Alyce Levey. When Mark was two years old, his family moved to Los Angeles, California, the city where he spent the rest of his adult life. After attending UCLA, Mark followed in his father's footsteps and entered the food industry. In 1951, he and partner Norman Katz founded Normark and Associates, a small boutique food brokerage company. Over the next forty years, Mark built the business into the largest perishable food brokerage company in the country. Mark's philosophy in business was the same as his guiding principle in life: ethics, mutual respect and integrity come first above everything else. Mark received prestigious awards, including the lifetime achievement awards from both the International Dairy, Deli and Bakery Association as well as from the Deli Council of Southern California. Mark served the community in many ways. He devoted over 20 years to City of Hope as a National Board of Director, and was a founding member of the Institution's Food Industries Circle. City of Hope gave Mark its highest honor, the Spirit of Life Award. Mark supported the United Jewish Fund, Eisenhower Hospital, and numerous national charities in order to help those less fortunate. Mark enjoyed the camaraderie and competitive golf at Hillcrest Country Club, where he was honored to be a past president of the club. He received Hillcrest's Lifetime Achievement Award for community service. Mark loved sports, and spent most of his life rooting for the UCLA Bruins and the L.A. Dodgers (at least since 1958!). His love of sports dated from the time he served as a batboy for the UCLA baseball team that featured Jackie Robinson. Mark was blessed to have two wonderful marriages, first to the late Pattie Specter Levey, mother of his son Alan and daughter Nancy. In 1998, he married Pearle Rae Kortz. They enjoyed spending time between their homes in Los Angeles and Rancho Mirage while visiting with friends from across the country.Mark is survived by his wife Pearle Rae Kortz Levey, son Alan (Deborah) Levey, Daughter Nancy (Jeff) Cherry, sister Lila Rauch, sister-in-law Jackie Barton, grandchildren Matthew (Alex) and Jenny (Graeme), Jeremy, Justin (Ashlee), Xander, and great-grandson Jackson. He is also survived by his Denver family, Ken (Barbara) Laff, daughter-in-law Lisa Laff, and grandchildren Laura, Emily, David (Maddie), James (Liz) and Izzie (Nate).A Zoom memorial service is planned for Friday April 16 at noon.Donations in memory of Mark may be sent to:City of Hope Food Industries Circle c/o Cheryl Kennick1500 E. Duarte Road, Rivergrade Office 14-0413Duarte CA 91010-3000
   https://ourhope.cityofhope.org/MarkLevey
   
   https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=mark-benjamin-levey&pid=198328311