It is with grieving hearts that we share the news that our beloved Board Member Richard Levick passed away from his battle with cancer. Charles shares his personal thoughts on the passing of Richard below.
Richard and I came to know each other through his artfully, thoughtfully composed In House Warrior podcast conversations . He very soon thereafter volunteered himself to be on our 501c3 childhood cancer research lab’s Board. Richard was a tireless advocate and an articulate communicator of our mission and cause.
Most of those who knew Richard knew his basic tenets: know history, speak up, understand your own strengths and limitations, and do good.
At a personal level, Richard and I spent more than a few lengthy conversations discussing many things, including his own cancer. What always impressed me was Richard’s contentment: he had lived his best life, acknowledged what he could have done better (although as the Sinatra song would suggest, those times might be few), and he would never stop trying to help others. I think in one conversation it was entirely too difficult to get him from asking about how he could help me and our cause, and switch the conversation to making sure Richard himself was getting all the help and support he needed. This is Richard Levick’s legacy: the friends he left, and the causes he championed.
That said, Richard left us with the most precious gift for many generations to follow. His podcasts, each of them, are not just a reflection of this great human, but a very personal way as a listener to reflect on our own humanity, our own sense of history, and a reminder that great literature and philosophy apply to our everyday lives. I hope those seeking solace and meaning to their already impactful lives will rediscover this beautiful podcast series.
Tonight I will raise a glass to Richard, and I will go to the bookstore to get a hardbound edition of a literature classic he would have chosen for himself. There’s a little Richard waiting to be discovered in all of us, that’s the silver lining.
We miss you, Richard. We remember you always.
– Charles
