Bernard “Bud” Levin, May 26, 2025
Bernard (Bud) Levin, devoted Zionist, Mensch, and lifelong advocate for Jewish causes and the State of Israel. He was a teacher of Jewish history and a lifetime student. On Memorial Day, May 26th, 2025, he lost a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 88 years old.
He was Vice President and World Chairman of Jewish National Fund’s (JNF) national board. He served as National Campaign Chairman, National Campaign Chairman of the Go North and Blueprint Negev campaigns, and National Marketing Chairman. He held several additional leadership roles, including National Chairman of Endowments and Special Projects, and President of the Los Angeles regional board. Bud was campaign chairman for the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, and National Vice Chairman of the United Jewish Appeal. He led the largest fund-raising UJA mission to Israel of its time, “The Leadership Gathering”. He served on the national board of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. He was instrumental in the fundraising efforts for Partnership for Excellence and Jewish Education (PEJE) and Birthright-Israel, while working with Michael Steinhardt and Rabbi Yitz Greenberg.
Bud was a lifelong passionate student of Jewish history and believed that to understand tzedakah and Jewish fundraising, you must understand Jewish history.
Levin also served as chairman of the St Louis Center for Holocaust Studies and a board of trustees and campaign chair and Sunday school teacher at United Hebrew Temple where he also chaired the capital campaign.
He was the vice president of his family owned oil and convenience store business, Midwest Petroleum Company, and grew it to be one of the largest oil and convenience store companies in the Midwest. He moved to Los Angeles in 2007 but his heart remained in St Louis.
Bud Levin grew up in Richmond Heights and graduated from Clayton High School in 1954. He went on to Washington University of St. Louis and graduated top of his class. He began his career in the family business driving a gasoline truck at 13-years-old and worked his way up until he took over the business. He became captain in the U.S. Army 6th Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment.
He married his high school sweetheart, Charlene Blumberg Levin and remained married for 30 years until her death in 1989. They had three beautiful daughters. He later married Judith Mandelkorn Levin. They enjoyed a loving marriage for 36 years and had one adoring son.
Bud is survived by his children, Karen Tamaren, Suzy Smith (Nick), Robyn Hubbard, and Max Levin and his nine grandchildren Carlye Tamaren, Hannah Shields (Patrick), Elizabeth Tamaren Park (Aaron), Lucas Tamaren, Peter Smith (Claire), Caroline Smith, Olivia Smith, Brae Hubbard, Lily Hubbard and great-granddaughter, Millie Rose Shields.
Bud will be remembered as a man of integrity, generosity, and unwavering dedication to his faith, family, and community. Through his philanthropic commitment, his legacy will live on helping to preserve and protect Israel for generations to come.
Visitation Friday, May 30th 9:00 AM at BERGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 9430 Olive Blvd, followed by funeral service at 10:00 AM. Interment at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery. Memorial contributions preferred to The Bud Levin Impact Scholarship Fund c/o the Jewish National Fund at https://my.jnf.org/. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for Live Stream and other information.
