She was a WWII war bride, married at age 17 and a mother at 20. She survived cancer in her 30s. The premature death of her mother. Financial reversals. The constant sting of being an only child. Widowhood. Loss of hearing. And all three of her children moving away. And still, her spirit of adventure remains strong and vibrant.
She broke the mold, when in 2014, she made her first TV commercial at age 87.
Union Terminal, erected in 1933, in Cincinnati, Ohio, is one of the last great train stations built and is one of the most widely regarded examples of the Art Deco style.
cincinnatiteaparty.org
My mother, Bev Levine, was featured in the only commercial Union Terminal ran in the fall of 2014 and she told her compelling story of sending my father off to WWII from that station and welcoming him back home again. And she did this in spite of severe hearing loss. I flew in to be with her at the recording of the commercial and she was steadfast in her vigor when asked to do take after take.
Below, she is in the front row, wearing a gray vest, surrounded by the camera crew and my brother and me.
Both on YouTube and on television, she shared her connection to Union Terminal when citizens were asked to "Vote Yes on Issue 8," which was a one-quarter of one percent sales tax increase to fund the iconic train station's restoration. It passed resoundingly, securing the future of Union Terminal for generations to come.
Her love for her hometown and its unique architectural wonders shown throughout that morning and afternoon of the taping and leaves an enduring legacy to her three children, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
I can't think of a grandmother who more richly exemplifies the woman I want to be as I slide into third base and head for home.
Earlier on Huff/Post50:
