Paul Levinson

Paul Norman Levinson, 66, had an infectious laugh and a warmth that brought joy to all who knew him. He passed away peacefully at home in Glen Carbon, Illinois, with his beloved wife, Andrea, by his side.

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on September 6th, 1959, Paul was the cherished son of the late Alan "Buzz" and Winifred "Winnie" Levinson (née Bundy). Paul grew up sailing and racing small boats on Indiana’s lakes. He began by crewing with his father, Buzz, a national champion and the 1959 Commodore of the International Snipe Class. Racing alongside his father and brothers, Frank, Carl and Harry, Paul honed his skills and developed a lifelong passion for the sport. Paul raced and won regattas in several classes of sailboats, regionally, nationally, and internationally, over the course of his life. For Paul, sailing was the language of family. He proudly taught his son, Alex, the language, racing with him throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including multiple Snipe National Championships. Paul was a generous, contributing member of both the Wawasee Yacht Club and the Indianapolis Sailing Club on Geist Reservoir.

Professionally, Paul was a proud steward of another treasured Indiana institution: Harry Levinson's men's clothing store. Founded by his great-grandfather in 1905, the store grew and flourished for more than 100 years from a single downtown Indianapolis hat shop into a celebrated regional retailer with more than a dozen locations, defining style for generations of Midwesterners. Following in the footsteps of his father, who served as the company's president, Paul carried forward this century-old family tradition of quality, service, and integrity.

On November 11, 2011, Paul married Andrea Sepanski, the love of his life, in St. Louis, Missouri. Together, they built a life full of laughter and adventure. Their joint love of sailing found a joyful new chapter gliding across Carlyle Lake near their home and competing together in prestigious events such as the 2010 US Snipe Masters on Lake Wawasee.

Paul's charisma was magnetic. He possessed the rare gift of making everyone feel like the most important person in the room. His stories were legendary, often punctuated by his infectious laughter, and his presence could light up any gathering. His warmth, humor, and boundless kindness left an indelible impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him.

Above all, Paul adored his family, who were his greatest source of joy and pride. He is survived by his devoted wife, Andrea Levinson of Glen Carbon, IL; his loving son, Alex Levinson of Syracuse, IN; his brothers Frank Levinson of California, Carl Levinson of Minnesota, and Harry Levinson of Massachusetts; as well as nieces, nephews, extended family, and a fleet of wonderful friends who will forever treasure his memory.

In keeping with Paul's wishes, he will be cremated. A celebration of his life will be held in the summer of 2026 at Lake Wawasee. Whether at the celebration or privately, his family invites everyone to honor his memory by sharing their favorite stories of Paul with friends and family - the most Paul thing to do. To further honor a life so beautifully lived, his family encourages memorial donations to any local Junior Sailing Program, so that the passion he shared so generously may be passed on to the next generation of sailors.

Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.irwinchapel.com.

Obit Provided By:
Irwin Chapel Funeral Home