Dr. Larry James Levy, Ph.D., 65, of Columbia, Md., died on April 21, 2008.
He was born on Feb. 20, 1943 to Jimmie and Libbie Levy of rural Austin. He graduated in 1961 from Austin High School and attended The General Motors Institute in Flint, Mich., where he received his Bachelor’s Degree. He also attended Marguette University in Milwaukee, Wis., for his master’s degree. He received his doctorate degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University.
Larry married Meridee LeBarron in Austin in 1963. Larry, his wife and daughter, Allison, moved to Columbia, MD., in 1971. He began his 37 year career with The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab., where he was highly respected as Chief Scientist of the Strategic Systems Department. He was a lecturer and graduate level teacher in his field of Kalman Filtering for Nevtech Seminars and Systems Identification at the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering. He was Co-developer of the GPS translator concept in SATRACK, a GPS based missile tracking instrumentation system.
Larry was an active leader in church youth groups, and most recently a strategic planner for a new church in Arbutus, Md., called Matt’s House.
We will miss his hearty, contagious laugh and his genuine caring for family, friends and young people. His home and heart were always open for those in need. Larry never forgot his Austin roots, and with a smile, proudly wore his SPAM clothing. He often spoke of how grateful he was to have grown up in a rural community where neighbors became good friends and all helped one another.
He will be deeply missed by his wife of 44 years; daughter, Allison (Pastor Robert) Benson; two grandchildren, Jesse and Faith; mother, Libbie Levy; sister Lyndel (Ken) Finholdt; nephews, Eric, Nate and Todd Finholdt and their families in the Owatonna area. He will forever be in our hearts.
Larry was preceded in death by his father, Jimmie; maternal grandparents, John and Mary Votava; paternal grandparents, Stanley and Josphine Levy.
Funeral services were held in Maryland. Memorials may be made to Matt’s House, Inc., 7455 Merrymaker Way, Elkridge, MD 21075.