April 14, 1937 - September 30, 2019
Yvonne Leah Simons Levy passed away Monday, September 30th after a hard fought battle with ovarian cancer. She was 82 years old. Yvonne was a brilliant and beautiful human being from the inside and out. She lived her life always with integrity and honesty. Yvonne was born in Oakland, Ca. to Herb and Marjorie Simons, the first of two daughters. Yvonne was educated through the Berkeley School System where she met her oldest and dearest friends. Yvonne was always a hard worker focused on achieving her goals. She graduated High School with honors and was immediately selected to attend UC Berkeley where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with both a Bachelor and a Master's degree in Economics. Yvonne then went straight to work as an Economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Yvonne published nearly one hundred articles and contributed to many comprehensive studies on the regional economy, Aerospace, Energy and other subjects of importance. She worked her way up in the Federal Reserve Bank for twenty-six years and retired as a Senior Economist.
Yvonne was married for 45 years to the "love of her life", Fred Levy, whom she met through a work friend, who said though there is a considerable age difference, you might be friends. Well, they became much more than friends, dancing through life with love and joy.
Yvonne has been an active member of Congregation Emanu-El for 57 years. Yvonne relied on her faith to overcome challenges and pressures in her demanding career. She often spoke about her spirituality as a source of comfort when coping with the burdens of caring for ill family members and their passings. Including her beloved Fred who passed away in 2010 and her loving sister, Rochelle Dempsey, who died in 2012.
Yvonne was proud that she learned the principal of tzedakah at an early age, stressing it as President of B'nai B'rith Girls Youth Organization (Berkeley Chapter), and keeping it as a lifelong commitment to various organizations throughout the Bay Area and her beloved hometown of San Mateo.
Yvonne wanted to thank all the wonderful caregivers and team who supported her in her final weeks including Home Helpers and Mission Bay Hospice. Marisol, Mele, Kalika, Naoko, Tracie, Dr. Woods, Rachel, Marisol, and Betty.