Back to Message Board

George Levitt - Class of 1943

Submitted by Bill Norvell 1965 <w.norvell@att.net> on 13/Sep/2023
107.145.178.172

        Dr. George Levitt, 98 of Lauderhill FL entered into eternal rest on Sunday, September 3, 2023. He is survived by his daughter Barbara Klein (Stuart) and his son David Levitt (Karl Shires). Also left to cherish his memory are his 2 granddaughters, Allyson Duffy (Matthew) and Abigail Klein as well as his great-granddaughters Julia and Eden. He is preceded in death by his loving wife Julia of 64 years, and his sons Jeffery and Gregory.

Dr. Levitt was born the 19th of February 1925 in Newburgh, NY to his parents Elias and Rachel Levitt. His parents were immigrants from Latvia and Lithuania who came to the United States in 1923. He attended Newburgh Free Academy where he graduated in 1943. After his high school graduation, Dr. Levitt joined the US Navy to serve on the submarine USS Dace during World War II. After the war ended, Dr. Levitt continued his education by attending Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. While at Duquesne University, Dr. Levitt met the love of his life, Julia Zeto, and they were married shortly after receiving his undergraduate degree in 1950. Together they moved to Lansing Michigan, where George attended Michigan State university where he received his PHD in Chemistry a few years later.

After graduation from Duquesne University, Dr. Levitt was immediately hired as an agricultural research chemist by the DuPont Corporation of Wilmington, DE where he and Julie spent the next 48 years. He and Julie raised their four children in Wilmington, where they also spent the first few years of their retirement. Dr. Levitt was also a resident of Florida for more than 20 years. He first lived in Palm Beach Gardens, and more recently had been residing in Lauderhill, FL.

During his 30 year career with DuPont, one of his greatest accomplishments was discovering a novel class of herbicides, sulfonylureas. His honors include some of DuPont’s most prestigious awards: The Lavoisier Medal for Technical Achievement in 1981 and the Agricultural Products Hall of Business Excellence Award in 1990. Dr. Levitt also has a research laboratory building, the Levitt Laboratory named for him. Dr. Levitt's work in agrichemicals revolutionized the use in herbicides and facilitated a change in direction in the DuPont Company's corporate strategy from chemicals to life sciences

In addition to honors given by DuPont, Dr. Levitt won the 1993 National Medal of Technology for his independent contributions to the discovery and commercialization of environmentally friendly herbicides to help ensure an abundant food supply for a growing world populations. He was presented this honor by then President of the United States of America, William J. Clinton.