My friend introduced me to Michael Levy, a Knoxville native, with an intriguing life’s journey covering 80 years. He graciously shared snippets of the adventurous life with me as he looks forward to the new adventures ahead.
Michael Levy was born to loving and courageous parents who believed in the American dream. He attributes his life accomplishments to those strong qualities and says he hopes he passes their virtues to his son.
Michael’s parents escaped Nazi Germany in 1939 and maneuvered their way to New York where they lived in NYC for a year. Michael believes unless someone has been touched by disaster then they cannot appreciate the true beauty of life. His parents appreciated the beauty of life to the fullest.
After a year in NYC, Michael’s father found an advertisement on a 3 X 5 card at a local Jewish community center that offered housing and job opportunities in Knoxville, Tennessee, for married Jewish couples with no children. The couple both got a job the next day and headed for Tennessee.
A few months after arriving in Knoxville, the Levys bought a house in East Knoxville off Magnolia Avenue and had two children, brother Sam in 1941 and Michael in 1944.
Michael remembers his father working as an electrician, fixing his neighbors’ electrical problems and even though they wanted to pay him for the work, his father always said that is what neighbors do for each other. Michael said he found fish swimming in his bathtub many times as, of course, that is what neighbors do to repay neighbors.
Michael attended schools in Knoxville that are long since closed but hold wonderful memories for those who attended: Park Lowery, Park Jr. and East High.
He received an art scholarship to attend Maryville College where he met his future wife during his sophomore year.
Michael’s career took him through the Delta Air Lines ranks beginning in 1965. A baggage worker to ticket agent to gate agent and then by 1967, he joined an elite group of passenger service agents whose main function was to keep everything operating smoothly.
The exciting job of Delta’s Crown Rooms manager was the pinnacle of Michael’s last 24 years at Delta. He met presidents, other heads of state from around the world, movie stars and CEOs of major corporations.
Michael Levy catching bass in his pond
Michael’s true interest in life came in 1985, while still working for Delta, he was able to purchase farm land in middle Georgia. He built a house, fenced in the property and started raising cattle.
The land had a 10-acre lake stocked with bass and crappie. They began having fish cookouts where all were invited and most of the time 50-75 people were there from a town with a population of 825.
Michael retired from Delta in 1999, sold the farm and moved to north Georgia. Although he said it was a lovely area with super nice people, he wanted to relocate to the Knoxville area, so in 2016 he moved back and decided to buy a condo in Maryville.
Levy says we may be awash in technology, but he prefers eye-to-eye contact and while others may prefer a golf course, he would rather be sitting beside the beautiful scenery of calm water with a cane pole wondering what type of creature “will pleasure me by jumping on my hook.”
All of us have a story and we want to tell yours! Send them to susan@knoxtntoday.com.