[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 38 (Friday, March 6, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF PHILLIP LEVINE

                                  _____
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 6, 2015

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of 
Phillip Levine of Fresno, California who recently passed away at the 
age of 87. He leaves behind his loving family including his wife 
Frances J. Artley, three sons, Mark, John and Teddy, five grandchildren 
and one great grandchild.
  Mr. Levine was born on January 10, 1928 in Detroit, Michigan, but has 
called Fresno home since 1958. The son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, 
Levine was born and raised in industrial Detroit where he began working 
in the auto factories at the age of 14. He earned his Bachelor's degree 
from Wayne State University in 1950 and later earned a Master's degree 
in Fine Arts from the University of Iowa in 1957. After receiving his 
graduate degree, he came to California where he began teaching at 
California State University, Fresno.
  He went on to teach at Fresno State for 34 years. It was there that 
he built a nationally recognized program in Creative Writing that 
inspired many graduates to become illustrious poets. He retired in 1992 
but remained deeply connected to the University. Although Levine held 
teaching positions at some of the most prestigious universities in the 
land, including New York University, Columbia University, Princeton and 
the University of California at Berkeley, he always returned to his 
home in Fresno.
  As a poetry writer, Mr. Levine celebrated working people, and his 
words both resonated and uplifted them. He wrote more than 21 
collections of poetry and in 1995 received the Pulitzer Prize for his 
poem ``The Simple Truth.'' He won the National Book Award in 1991 for 
``What work is'' and in 2013 he was honored with the Wallace Stevens 
Award which is given annually to recognize ``outstanding and proven 
mastery in the art of poetry.'' In 2011, Mr. Levine was named as the 
18th Poet Laureate of the United States, being declared one of 
America's greatest narrative poets by Librarian of Congress, James H. 
Billington. While achieving numerous successes and accolades for his 
work, he consistently maintained that the success of his Fresno State 
students was one of his biggest rewards.
  Mr. Levine was truly an honorable man with a strong commitment to 
family, friends and his country that will live on in lives of the many 
people he touched. His passion for writing, education, and his 
community will be remembered by all who knew him. I am honored and 
humbled to join his family in celebrating the life of this amazing man 
who will never be forgotten.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that I ask my colleagues in the 
House of Representatives to join me in saying farewell to Mr. Phillip 
Levine, a man full of love for life. His genuine character, commitment 
to family and community will be greatly missed.

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