By Mary Malloy
Murray Levitt, a North Woodmere resident who died last year at the age 88, was the son of two tailors. Eventualaly, Murray and his brother, Lee, went into their own business, and opened up a shop together in Lynbrook in 1946. They named their men's wear business after themselves - "Mur-Lees."
"There was never a question in my mind - or my father's - that we would go into his business," said Harry. "We knew from the day of our Bar Mitzvah on, that he wanted us to carry on the business."
The elder Levitt lived and breathed this village, said Harry, but it was not all business for him. He was involved in youth baseball league, charities and local organizations.
"I am like him in that I am an outspoken person, and I say what's on my mind," Harry Levitt said.
A balancing act
Sisters Jackie Grabin and Debby Tappan credit their father, Bernard Stegman, of Woodmere, with doing a balancing act: He cared for his family and ran a successful family business of which Grabin and Tappan are now the proprietors.
"He has done so many things so very well in his life," said Grabin, who lives in Oceanside. "He made such good choices...he was very smart. When something needed to be done, he did it."
The sisters were two of five children born to Stegman and his wife, Irene. "They had a 63 -year marriage that anyone would be amazed at," said Grabin. "There was not a day that they did not turn to each other and say, 'I love you.'"
Stegman founded Arrow Exterminating, located in Lynbrook, in 1947. Once a French teacher, Grabin started working at the family business full time more than 35 years ago, and Debby, who worked in advertising previously, came on board 30 years ago. The daughters have a tremendous amount of respect for their father, both business wise and personally.
"His attitude is amazing," said Tappan, of East Meadow. "He has such 'joie de vivre' [joy of life]. His values are wonderful. He drives a modest car, and never throws money around - but he likes to travel, and he loves the opera. He just got back from Peru, and is planning a trip to Russia."
The daughters said that their father loves to read the New York Times cover to cover every morning, and they then enjoy lunch with him each day. " His values are wonderful, " said Tappan. "He's an inspiration to us all. Besides all of his success, he is such a good, nice honest down to earth person."
"We have learned a lot from him," said Grabin. "Honest and integrity, and generosity."
