Levay, Rita D.

SLINGERLANDS

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Dr. Rita D. (Cashimere) Levay, 76 of Slingerlands, a beloved sister, aunt, mentor, friend and advocate for children, passed away on February 8, 2021, from COVID19.

Rita was born in Olean, N.Y. on June 1, 1944, the daughter of Edward M. and Elva Ek Cashimere. She graduated from Olean High School in 1962, having been a member of Olean’s first advanced placement class.

Rita earned her bachelor’s degree in speech pathology from State University College of Buffalo, her master’s degree in speech pathology and early childhood education from State University College of Fredonia and her doctorate in educational leadership, in 2012, from Sage Graduate School.

Rita was recruited and worked for 18 years and in many roles for the New

York State Department of Education, her last role was as assistant commissioner for Special Education. She then championed the needs of children in the Bethlehem, Schenectady and Capital Region BOCES and acted as a consultant in almost a dozen other school districts. Rita, a distinguished educator, could not walk into an establishment in the Capital Region without grateful parents approaching her to say thank you for saving their children and guiding them to successful lives.

Rita lost her beloved husband, Jim, of nearly 45 years in 2018. They met during their careers in education in California and moved back to Rita’s home state of New York. Rita is survived by sisters, Nancy Cashimere Walsh (Richard Hellmer) and Jane Cashimere

Johnson; as well as her beloved nieces, Courtney Walsh, Jessica Johnson, and Meghan Walsh Heister; and nephew, Michael Johnson. She is also survived by grandnieces, Madeline and Sophia Heister and grandnephew, Daniel Heister, with whom she shared her love of children’s literature; many loving friends and her adored Airedale "Renny."

The family has entrusted Applebee Funeral Home of Delmar with the arrangements. Rita will be buried, privately, next to her husband in the St. Bonaventure University Cemetery in Allegany, N.Y. To protect the health of attendees, a Mass and celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Rita D. Levay to Child and Adolescent Treatment Services at The Foundation for Ellis Medicine, 1101 Nott St., Schenectady, NY, 12308.

Condolences may be shared at applebeefuneralhome.com