Remembering Irv Leavitt

We make a life by what we give, it is said. Irv Leavitt, who died on June 13th, made his living as a reporter, but he turned that talent for storytelling into a gift to the public that revealed the special qualities of ordinary people. And in his final years, he quietly helped H.O.M.E.

Early in the pandemic, Irv helped distribute donated meals and Chromebooks to residents. At gatherings, Irv and the residents compared notes about growing up in Chicago. In his column “The divine silence of 2020,” Irv wrote, “My few precious recent opportunities to spend moments with strangers have, with rare exception, been extraordinarily positive. A kind word that might have gone unnoticed now often precipitates a flowering of emotion. A minute of time brings thoughts of missed loved ones, hardship, appreciation.” Seen in this tender light, giving is something special that any of us can do.

When chronic illness set in, he donated his printer to the H.O.M.E.’s Nathalie Salmon House (and the printer continues to get good use every day). He also connected H.O.M.E. to his former Pioneer Press/Chicago Tribune colleague Marina Samovsky, who took stellar portraits last year of our multigenerational residents.

Even when Irv was no longer able to leave his bed, he spread the word about H.O.M.E. Promoting our Good Life Gala turned out to be his very last LinkedIn post to his 1,400 followers. Quite simply, he wrote, “I can't go. But you go.”

You can read more about Irv’s extraordinary life here.

Gail Schechter, June 26, 2026

Irv Leavitt distributing Chromebooks and visiting with residents at Nathalie Salmon House in April 2020

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