Melvyn O. Levine, who thought of no one as a stranger and loved selling shirts as much as rounding up cattle, died on Friday, September 17, 2021, in San Antonio, TX. The cause was colon cancer. He was born on January 21, 1938, in Houston, TX the first child of Frieda and Gus Levine of Sealy, TX.

In 1948, after Gus’s death, Frieda moved the family to Houston. In 1956, Melvyn graduated from San Jacinto High School. He had long since decided he wanted to go to work at Levine Brothers, the general store started by his father and his uncles Abe and Maurice. Frieda insisted he attend college, so he chose the University of Oklahoma because it was too far from Sealy for him to spend weekends working at the store. As a freshman, he joined Sigma Alpha Mu, and many of his fraternity brothers remained his dearest friends for the rest of his life. When he wasn’t shooting craps or playing cards, he earned his degree in business law, graduating in 1960, after which he moved back to Sealy.

From 1962 to 1966, he served as a reserve in the U.S. Marine Corps. In 1960, Melvyn met Barbara Macow, whose happiness was to become his greatest pleasure. They married in 1963 and had three children – Janis, Michael, and Sharon. In 1966, he joined the board of Citizens State Bank in Sealy. In 1983, Melvyn moved the store from its downtown location to a new shopping center on the south side of town. Melvyn and Barbara decided to close the store in 1994 and moved the following year to San Antonio. He took great pride in being a member of the San Antonio Rodeo committee that raised money in support of the auction. He was also a trustee of the John R. Selman and Maggie B. Selman Charitable Trust, established in 2014. Melvyn treasured time spent with friends in San Antonio, Sealy, Houston, around the state, and across the country.

Melvyn was beloved by his family, in each of whom he possessed an unwavering faith, and his optimism and generosity were boundless. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sharon. Melvyn is survived by his wife, Barbara; his children Janis (Larry) and Michael; and his grandchildren, along with his brother, Sidney Levine (Augusta); his sister, Dana Robinson; and his nieces and nephews and great nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sharon R. Levine Endowed Fund for Cell and Gene Therapy, C/O The Methodist Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 4384, Houston, Texas 77210.