Sidney Leavitt

Sidney Leavitt passed away on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the age of 88. Sid was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who enjoyed reading, learning and discussing history and politics, taking long drives, walking on the beach, and playing FreeCell. Born in Chicago on May 17, 1934 to immigrant parents Harry and Minnie (Rosen) Leavitt, Sid grew up working in the family grocery store. He started his college career at Navy Pier before transferring to Urbana-Champaign where he earned his degree in Accounting, later becoming a CPA. In 1962, he met and married Jo Ellen Hurwitz. They celebrated 44 years together before her death. In 1973, after having to change a tire on the Dan Ryan during rush hour, Sid moved his family to Carbondale to escape the Chicago winters and traffic. He loved the southern Illinois countryside and knew all the back roads; weekends often involved a drive of an hour or more with the sole purpose of having dinner at a small-town diner. Sid was preceded in death by his parents Harry and Minnie, his wife Jo Ellen, and his sisters Annette Harris Salzman and Jane Kornblith. He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law Sue and Steve Poklop of Palatine, IL and Judy and Mark Walker of Lincoln, NE, and his five grandchildren: Jake, Adam, and Spencer Poklop and Madeline and Becca Walker. The family expresses special thanks to Evelyn Gates for providing assistance so that he could continue to live on his own until very recently. Private services will be held on Monday, June 6 in Arlington Heights, IL.