Barbara K. Levy
Barbara K. Levy, 93, died of natural causes on July 30th in her home at Beatitudes Campus. Born in 1927, in San Diego, California, Barbara lived a life filled with love and friendship. She earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and enjoyed a long career as a psychologist in Phoenix, in both private practice and public settings. She was a psychological consultant for the Arizona State Department of Health, and a member of the Mental Health Services Research Review Committee for the National Institute of Mental Health. She also served on the Ethics Hearing Panel of the American Psychological Association, served as President of the Arizona Psychological Association, and later as Chair of the Ethics Committee. She was, reportedly, the first professional woman to wear pants to work at the Arizona State Hospital.
Barbara loved so many things: animals and plants were valued friends. She became a vegetarian later in life out of compassion for animals, and never lived a day without a cherished cat (or two) by her side. An avid reader and writer, she published books and poems after retirement. For the past four years she lived at Beatitudes Campus, and enjoyed her friends (especially her Poetry Club comrades) and neighbors, as well as the kindness of so many Campus staff. Her later years were marked by a sense of gratitude for the fullness to be found in daily experience, whether completing a crossword puzzle or admiring a flower. She had many friends and colleagues whom she cherished. She will be missed.
She is survived by her two children, Stephen R. Levy of Tempe, and Josephine Levy (Robert Crawford) of Phoenix. She is preceded in death by her former spouse, Leo B. Levy, and daughter Julia Levy. The family would like to thank the staff at Beatitudes Campus as well as Hospice of the Valley. A Celebration of Life will be held at Elaine’s at Beatitudes Campus, 1610 W. Glendale Avenue, on Saturday, November 13th, from 3:00-5:00PM. In lieu of flowers please consider making a charitable donation to the organization of your choice.