Where He Was a Literature Major, and in 1935 When He Was a Junior, He Saw Many Fellow

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September 20, 2012

Dr. Norman Levan, Bakersfield Dermatologist and Educational Philanthropist, Set to Retire

(Bakersfield, CA) – On September 24, 2012, an era in Bakersfield will end. Dr. Norman Levan will retire from his downtown Bakersfield dermatology practice, ending his 73-year career, 32 years of which he treated patients in Bakersfield. At the age of 96, Dr. Levan was still seeing patients once a week up until his retirement.

Dr. Levan is perhaps most known for his philanthropic efforts. In 2011, Dr. Levan made $14 million donation to the Bakersfield College Foundation to support student scholarships and educational services. Dr. Levan had previously donated $5.7 million to Bakersfield College in 2006. When combined, the two gifts increase Dr. Levan’s overall donation to nearly $20 million, $10 million higher than any gift from an individual on record. As a result, Dr. Levan was named one of Thursday’s Most Intriguing People; alongside Levan were actress Debbie Reynolds, and husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, NASA Captain Mark Kelly.

In 2011, Dr. Levan also donated $12 million each to St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and to the University of Southern California. Both schools are his alma maters.

Dr. Norman Levan was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland in 1916. After attending primary schools in Detroit, his mother relocated the family to live with an older sister in Detroit when he was in the 10th grade. He graduated from high school there and attended college at the University of Southern California.

On a whim, he decided to take entrance exams to USC’s medical school, and surprised himself by earning the highest score the school had ever seen. The USC program included practicum at the county hospital, and Dr. Levan learned from being with the doctors and helping them with their cases.

Levan was called to service in his second year of internship, Nov. 4, 1940. He served as a Medical Officer in the Army until the end of WWII, for nearly five years, three and a half of which were in the Central Pacific. Dr. Levan experienced the full fury of the battle of Okinawa, the last battle of WWII. Following WWII, he returned to school at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for a summer class, but ended up staying four more summers.

Levan was married to a woman he met playing tennis in Hollywood. Betty passed in 2005 at the age of 87.

Dr. Levan later returned to USC as their first professor of dermatology. When he retired at the age of 65, his arrangements with USC were he could practice anywhere he wanted. On a drive one day, he visited Bakersfield on a cloudy day one June. He stopped at the Bakersfield Inn, and the community pool was being frequented by several Bakersfield doctors.

After traveling to Bakersfield to see patients one day a week, fellow doctors helped find a home and an office for the final move to Bakersfield in 1980.

As of September 24, 2012, Dr. Levan will hang up his stethoscope and enter retirement. He is currently working to transfer his patients and practice to another local physician.