For my Dad
Honoring Pops: A Journey of Memories, Stories, and Adventure
It is probably no surprise to you, my reader, that I am fairly introspective and that my writing is often nostalgic in tone. Given this inclination, it's likely no surprise that I found myself writing extensively when my father passed away. The first two, three weeks, I tried to make sense of his absence while simultaneously honoring his memory. So many memories, so many stories, so much to remember. Half a dozen edited, another 20 unedited.
He passed away on July, 31, 2023. Some nearly three years ago.
I’d put together an amusing little snippet of a story- a memory from when I was ten, but it could have been last year, so vibrant in my memory. Instead of posting that, I want to go ahead and honor my father by sharing the obituary I penned for our hometown paper.
Because my father was one of my best friends, I’ve written many more stories about him. It’s been a long three years. It’s been a short three years. He would have been legitimately honored that I'd share this in my Substack, as he himself was a writer - tens of his travel journals line my mom’s bookshelves.
I have his iPhone in my desk drawer. I sign in to his email sometimes, just so it won’t ever expire. The emails that were always read: my Substack stories.
For Al. Thank you for letting me call you Pops.
Al Levage, of Bend, Oregon, is free from the annoyance of his girls asking, "How are you feeling?" On July 31, 2023, after being diagnosed with aggressive cancer three months earlier, Al passed from this life to his next. It would be an honor if you shared a memory of Al directly with his wife Kadie of 45 years.
Born in Coos Bay, on September 3, 1953, Al moved with his wife Kadie to Bend in 1979 and is survived by Kadie, his daughters Darcy, Sasha, and Kyria, and their partners who he treated as his own sons: Tony, Jeremiah, and Edean. He is survived by his brother, Mike, and his sister Suzy, but he can undoubtedly hear his sister Barb razzing him as he joins her in his next step. In 2021, he moved with Kadie to continue building his life in Georgia.
If you were to have asked Al how he wanted to be remembered, it would be his deep sense of curiosity, his love for mentoring, and his work ethic...but that does not even begin to describe Al.
His adventurous spirit never waned; he rode across the United States on a bicycle in 1978, backpacked through Europe at 19 years old, and took week-long motorcycle trips, even in sleet and rain. He backpacked each October through the Oregon mountains, catching fresh fish for dinners. He was an avid fan of the Cascade Cycling Classic from which many friendships were made.
His kindness was deep but could be veiled behind a seemingly serious demeanor. Given the chance, he was the first one to take a gross joke at the dinner table one step too far. "Al, that's enough!" Kadie was often apt to say, with Al retorting, "Well, you started it!"
A principal of BBT Architects, he loved his work and pushed his retirement off until December 2020. He spoke highly of the nuances of the many schools he designed across the Pacific Northwest, the wonderful people he worked with, and the respect he had for his supportive partner, Renee. It was an honor when he was named an Icon by DCJ Oregon as it highlighted his passion for learning and sharing his knowledge with young architects.
Watching dragonflies perch on rocks, weeding the incessant morning glories from his tomato patch while Kadie gardened nearby, and watching eagles from the edges of desert canyons with his daughters were just a few of the things that made Al, Al.
His adventurous spirit and kindness were complemented by his incredible stubbornness, like sitting outside next to a makeshift fireplace sipping bourbon in sub-freezing temperatures.
His love of his family and dear friends was thick. He supported his wife and daughters' dreams without faltering and helped sculpt their lives through kindness. Even in his last days, he feared the cancer was harder on all of us than it was on himself.
There are not enough words to describe Al Levage in a simple obituary. And that is okay, for he lives on in our hearts. If you see a hawk flying, take a moment to think of Al.
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read about my dad, my pops. My father believed in reincarnation, and I cling to that idea to bring peace to me now. I see him everywhere I go and love him more every day. I do.
I've been writing more over the last several months, encouraged to do so by my dad. In my dreams some months ago, he told me, "You should be writing all the time. Write more." When I awoke, I chuckled and immediately sat at my computer to write, even before having my morning coffee.
Thank you for joining me on this journey called life. I appreciate you all. You can expect more short anecdotes in the coming weeks and months.