Earle Walter LeVan : Obituary

Earle Walter LeVan of Morganton, Georgia was born July 4, 1929 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Loretta and Orlo LeVan. He and Dora Marie Peterson were married November 27, 1954 and shared a living and satisfying 58 years of marriage. The family moved to Georgia in 1969.

Dora Marie LeVan survives along with five children, Lori LeVan of Morganton, Lisa LeVan Grantham of Springfield, Virginia, Christopher John LeVan of Mineral Bluff, Mary Margaret LeVan of Atlanta, Amy LeVan Sikes Marshall of Blue Ridge. His son, Earle David LeVan, preceded Mr. LeVan in death. Six grandchildren also survive, Cristina LeVan Smith, Michael and Ashlee Sikes, Alaina and Kip Grantham, Danielle Grantham Staton. Also surviving are four siblings, Linda LeVan Berry of Angleton, Texas, David LeVan of St. Ansgar, Iowa, Dorothy LeVan Kelly of Worthington, Ohio and Francis Brown Disbennet of Lancaster, Ohio. Preceding Mr. LeVan in death was a brother, Robert LeVan, and sisters, Betty LeVan, Jean LeVan Guyot, and Margaret LeVan Daker.

Mr. LeVan attended public schools in Iowa and as a teen-ager entered the hospitality field. Early in his career he was engaged in hotel food production, catering, and sales for major hotels in the mid-west. Later moving to health care food service, nutrition.

During the years Mr. LeVan was living in Iowa, he served as chairman for the newly established Head Start program in the county and as a member of the county property tax assessment review committee and was active in the Scout program.

In 1969, the family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he accepted a position as Director of Food Service at Grady Hospital. In addition by the time he in 1993, he was appointed an administrative Assistant, coordinating a number of departments, committees and programs at the hospital and the hospital authority nursing home and representing Grady Hospital on the health committee of the United Way for a number of years.

During his career he was active in business and professional associations, a frequent speaker at food service and nutrition related conferences and seminars throughout the country. He also served as a mentor for a number of food service directors in the health field. As schedules permitted, he was a consultant for nursing homes and daycare centers. He served as President of the Grady Credit Union for a number of years.

He was an active gardener and was recognized as a Master Gardener by the cooperative Extension service of the University of Georgia in 1979.

A funeral service will occur at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Ellijay, Georgia, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 30, 2012 with President Harry L. Spooner. Mr. LeVan will lie in state at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the funeral hour. Music will be by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Interment will follow in the Chastain Memorial Park Cemetery with the following gentlemen serving as pallbearers: Darren Smith, Michael Sikes, Ben Staton, David Grantham, Christopher LeVan and Kip Grantham.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday, June 29, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins Funeral Home of Blue Ridge is in charge of the arrangements.