THAT MILLION DOLLAR SMILE. THAT FIRM,, BUT OH-SO-GENTLE HANDSHAKE. THOSE FIRST WORDS HE SAID WITH SUCH ENTHUSIASM AND FRIENDSHIP. AND THAT COMPETIVNESS, WHEN HE NEEDED IT, THAT MADE HIM WHO HE WAS. A MOST DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC.
INDEED, THERE ARE COUNTLESS OTHER PEOPLE WHO KNEW JIM DON LEVY LONGER AND BETTER THAN I DID. THEY ARE MORE EQUIPPED TO WRITE A PIECE ON MR. DON LEVY, WHO PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER ON THE WEEKEND. HE WAS 82. MR. DON LEVY WAS A FIXTURE IN ATHLETICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA. HE COACHED THE FOOTBALL GOLDEN BEARS, AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE U OF A IN EDUCATION. HE ALSO WORKED FOR THE WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE, HELPING PLAYERS FIND EDUCATION AFTER THEIR JUNIOR HOCKEY CAREER.
I KNEW JIM FOR A FEW DECADES. HE WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU WERE HAPPY TO KNOW. HE HAD GRACE AND CLASS. HE MADE EVERYONE AROUND HIM BETTER. EVEN IF IT WAS A TWO-MINUTE VISIT. I AM GOING TO MISS THAT. MR. DON LEVY.
