Chad and Niger Peace Corps Training Director Morrie Lewenstein dies in San Fransisco
Founder of S.F. State's Social Science Dept. dies
Burlingame's Morrie Lewenstein was also an avid volunteer
By Tara Ramroop, STAFF WRITER
BURLINGAME -- By the time he reached his golden years, Morris "Morrie" Lewenstein's two grandsons were the "joy of his life," said Ida, his wife of 45 years.
"He just loved spending time with them whenever he could," Ida said. "He couldn't wait to go to Tampa and visit them."
Although he was stricken with a heart attack while visiting his favorite East Coasters, family members are happy he got one last chance to see them before a heart condition took its toll.
Lewenstein, San Francisco State University professor emeritus and Social Science Department founder, died of cardiac arrest Saturday at Kaiser Hospital in South San Francisco. He was 79.
Lewenstein graduated from the University of Chicago in 1944 with a degree in social science. He later received his Ph.D. in 1953 from the University of Illinois.
At San Francisco State, where he served as a professor for 40 years, he was well-known among many generations of aspiring high school social studies teachers.
Ida said that whatever her husband did, he did with purpose. His hard-working nature lives on in the many contributions he made to his field, like serving as a member of the team that designed the university's nationally recognized General Education Program and co-authoring "Our American Government Today," a social-science textbook for high school students.
Lewenstein also found time to be secretary of the school's Academic Senate and legislative chair of the California State University Retired Faculty Association.
In addition to his many roles in the CSU system, Lewenstein was co-director of the Peace Corps training program for Chad and Niger and traveled to both African countries to oversee the project.
Even after retiring from teaching in 1985, Lewenstein kept a very active lifestyle that included daily three-mile walks, bike rides around his Burlingame home and being an active member of Peninsula Temple Sholom.
An avid reader and lifelong student, Lewenstein was always ready to learn something new, be it operating a computer or learning Spanish, French and Hebrew.
He particularly enjoyed studying Spanish and traveled to Mexico several times to further his studies. This ability to speak Spanish was well-appreciated by the Samaritan House Free Medical Clinic of San Mateo, where he served as an interpreter for the medical staff until the time of his death. He also volunteered many hours at the Call-Primrose Emergency Drop-in Center in Burlingame and was a tutor for Project Read.
"He was very focused," Ida said. "He dedicated himself to learning all these things and used them to help others."
Lewenstein is survived by his wife, Ida; two sons, Jay Lewenstein and Dan Jenkins; brother Harry Lewenstein; and grandsons, Sam and Max Jenkins. Contributions may be sent to the Samaritan House Free Medical Clinic at 117 N. San Mateo Drive, Suite 2, San Mateo. Funeral services are pending.
