Obituaries

Richard LeWinter passed away peacefully on November 19, 2021 in Marina Del Rey, California at the age of 95. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 2, 1926, but Los Angeles was his home for more than eight decades.
Richard created a life where he pursued his talents and passions, which were the basis of the legendary stories he was so adept at telling.
Richard graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1944, where he excelled in acting and starred in the school’s radio show. From high school, he went directly into the Navy. With his acting background (not to mention his Frank Sinatra look), he was assigned to be in the Navy’s film unit. Movie goers in 1944 and 1945 saw Richard in the War Bond shorts that helped raise millions of dollars to aid the war effort. He was also involved in training films for the military as an actor, camera operator and assistant director.
After the Navy he met the love of his life, Marion Zuckerman, and they married in 1946 and enjoyed fifty three years of marriage. Throughout his life, Richard’s main passion was bringing his family (including their three children, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren – to whom he will always be “Poppa D”) and friends together. For all of their married life they participated avidly in Marion’s cousins club, which adopted Richard as one of their own often appointing him as the President (a euphemism for chief party host, camp counselor and mischief maker).
Richard and Marion created a furniture business based upon a creative collaboration of Richard’s artistic talents and woodworking craftsmanship and Marion’s skill as an interior decorator. Richard began the business as a sideline by building furniture in his garage, beginning with television cabinets. The business grew into one that became a high-end custom furniture manufacturing and decorating business, which catered to many of Hollywood’s biggest stars and Los Angeles’ other A-List interior designers.
Upon retirement, Richard was finally able to pursue his passion for boating, which began by learning about every aspect of boating, including the inner workings of the motor and the radar system. He brought the same passion and quality of workmanship to his boats as he did to his furniture business. Fellow boaters marveled that his boat’s engines were maintained so meticulously that one could eat off of them. Richard was elected as the commodore of both the Marina City Yacht Club and the Del Ray Yacht Club. Richard enjoyed taking friends and/or family on the boat to various places in southern California, especially Catalina. The highlight of his boating life was the years long trip he and Marion took entertaining family and friends as they traveled down the Intercoastal Waterway and through the Caribbean.
In his later years, Joanna Bogos unexpectedly came into Richard’s life and for the last five and one-half years provided love, companionship and comfort.
Another great joy of Richard’s final years was the time he was able to spend with his daughter, Judi, who came to temporarily be with him when Covid-19 hit and then stayed to take care of him through his passing.
Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Marion, and their son, Jeffrey. Richard is survived by his son, Anthony (Julia) LeWinter, daughter, Judi (Mary Ellen) LeWinter; grandchildren, Steve (Debra) LeWinter, Scott LeWinter, Sandy (Lev) Ginsburg, Vanessa LeWinter and Garrick LeWinter; great grandchildren, Moshe and Shira Ginsburg and Aviva and Sage LeWinter; daughter-in-law, Yvette (Bob) LeWinter; brother-in-law, Robert (Carol) Zuckerman (who Richard considered to be (along with his older brother, Sander) a brother; nieces and nephews, Joe Zuckerman, Danny Zuckerman, Karey (Godfrey) Rowland, Kenny (Shani) Zuckerman, Howard (Wendy) Zuckerman, Adam (RoAnne) Zuckerman; cousins, Gary (Tut) Platt, Andrea Yates, Kaley Stern.
We will miss your wonderful stories. Be at peace.
The family will be holding a private service. In lieu of flowers, Richard’s family requests donations be made to Richard’s favorite charity, St. Jude’s Hospital.