Robert L. (Bob) Levin, 86

Robert L. (Bob) Levin, Smith Center, was born to William H. and Erna (Engelke) Levin on the family farm north of Kensington, Kansas on June 8, 1937. He departed this life on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at the age of 86 years.
He was baptized and confirmed at the Germantown Lutheran Church, north of Kensington, Kansas. He attended Germantown (Liberty 8) country school until the sixth grade when the school was closed. He completed his education at Kensington Grade School and graduated from Kensington High School in 1955.
In 1957, he married Shirley A. Miller. To this union three daughters were born: Marci, Michelle, and Melanie, and one son, Kent.
On February 5, 1993, he was united in marriage to Linda Mathews of Smith Center. Together they owned and operated Levin's Ambulance Service for eleven years. Bob retired in September of 2000, and devoted his retirement time to his life-long hobby, hunting fossils.
At a very young age he became interested in paleontology. He collected over fifty fossil specimens that had never been collected or known in Smith County.
After over fifty years of collecting, he amassed a very large collection of over 7,000 fossils that were known world-wide and were all on display at his residence for many years. His collection has been willed to the Rolling Hills Zoo and Museum in Salina, Kansas.
He donated many fossils to the Los Angeles County Museum, Los Angeles, California, and to the Sternberg Museum in Hays, Kansas, where he also donated time to the preparation lab, and setting up and removing traveling displays.
One of the highlights of his fossil career was digging for dinosaur bones at Como Bluffs, Wyoming, with Dr. Bakker.
In 1967, he was appointed Cooperative Weather Observer for the National Weather Service, in Topeka, Kansas. Later, he was transferred to the new National Weather Service in Hastings, Nebraska.
In 1998, he was the recipient of the John Campanius Holm Award. The award is given to the Cooperative Observer who performs in an outstanding manner. This is the second highest award available to Cooperative Observers and is given to twenty-five observers out of the 12,000 eligible observers across the United States.
In 2003, the National Weather Service awarded Bob the Thomas Jefferson Award. This award is given to the observer who has an outstanding performance. Bob had never missed an appointed observation time in 56 years. This award is given to only five observers out of the 12,000 eligible. This award is the highest that can be presented to a Cooperative Observer.
Bob was also a Ham Radio Operator for many years, and a photographer for 35 years. He photographed many weddings and family get-togethers. Bob was a Charter member of Sonshine Christian Church of Smith Center, Kansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Erna Levin; sons-in-law, Everett Weis and Gale Ewing; and daughter-in-law, Diane Gibson.
Bob is survived by his loving wife, Linda Levin of Smith Center; daughters, Marci Rust and husband Pat of Phillipsburg, Michelle LeiVan and husband Mike of Osborne, Melanie Ewing of Phillipsburg, and Kent Levin of Smith Center; stepchildren, Tammy Colwell and husband James of Georgetown, Georgia, and Jeff Gibson of Gothenburg, Nebraska; plus 11 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, May 13, 2024, at All Faiths Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center, Kansas, with Pastor Lance McDowell officiating. Visitation will be held on Sunday, May 12, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with family present to greet friends, and Monday, May 13, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. until service time all at the funeral chapel.
The burial will take place in Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center, Kansas.
Memorials may be given to the Sonshine Christian Church of Smith Center, Kansas, and/or Hospice Services of Northwest Kansas and can be sent in care of the funeral chapel.

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Robert L. (Bob) Levin, 86

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