David Leverenz

Langmuir David Leverenz, a long-time seasonal resident of Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, died Monday August 28 at the family’s summer home.  Born in 1942 to Humboldt Walter Leverenz and Edith Langmuir Leverenz, David grew up in Princeton, New Jersey.  He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College in 1964 and, as a Woodrow Wilson fellow, earned a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley.  A noted literary critic and scholar, he taught for almost twenty years at Rutgers University, where he helped shape Livingston College, opened in 1969 and designed to address the needs of multiracial urban students.  While in New Jersey, he also served on the Highland Park School Board.  In 1985 he was recruited by the University of Florida to join its English Department, where he taught for twenty-five years before retiring in 2011. David was a superb teacher as anyone who has met him would guess, and as his many awards for outstanding teaching attest.  A wonderful lecturer, he also drew out his students and, always taking seriously what they had to say, helped them clarify their perceptions and hone their writing skills.  As much energy and time as he devoted to teaching, the greater pleasure of his professional life rested in his own scholarship and writing.  The list of his publications is long:  numerous articles, lectures, reviews, and five books including Manhood and the American Renaissance and Honor Bound: Race and Shame in America.    But the greatest joy and love of David’s life was his family: his wife of forty-four years, Anne Rutledge, with whom he travelled far and wide, and his children Allison Rutledge-Parisi, Elizabeth Parisi, Trevor Rutledge-Leverenz and Nell Rutledge-Leverenz, as well as daughter-in-law Shannon Kenny, sons-in-law Dr. James Marion, Tim O’Brien, and Chandler Wood, and grandchildren Molly Marion, Ella Marion, Cassius O’Brien and baby William Leverenz Rutledge-Wood.  All of whom loved him immeasurably and are devastated by his going. Also grieving are his sisters, Julia B. Leverenz and Ellen L. Leverenz, his niece Dr. Julia Stunkel and nephew Carl Stunkel, and many cousins and friends.  His sister Edith L. Stunkel predeceased him. David helped establish and, for the last fifteen summers, coordinated the Eagles Mere Friends of the Arts’ book and film program known as Brain/Food.  David would have asked friends to express their condolences by supporting the EMFA, PO Box 24, Eagles Mere, PA 17731, as well as WVIA, the local NPR radio station.  Memorial arrangements are pending. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the P. Dean Homer Funeral Home, 206 Water St., Dushore, PA 18614.           To send condolences or sign the e-guestbook, please go to www.homerfuneralhome.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of David Leverenz, please visit our flower store.