Ilene Levin

A Woman of Valor Ilene Frances Levin passed away last Sunday after a 25 year, incredibly courageous and inspirational battle against head and neck cancer. Ilene was born on April 29, 1955, in Racine, Wis. It can be said of Ilene that for her entire 57 years, she lived her life in such an exemplary manner that she truly possessed the idealized traits of a woman of valor as immortalized by King Solomon in the words of Proverbs 31. Ilene was the youngest of three children in a well established Jewish family, born to Harold and Pearl Levin in Racine, Wis. Besides being loving, it can be said that both of Ilenes parents were wonderful examples and instrumental in establishing the foundation of her strong work ethic and impassioned community involvement. After graduating from high school, Ilene chose to stay close to home and attended college at the nearby University of Wisconsin - Parkside. There she earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees. Between earning those degrees, she worked at Parkside as a guidance counselor. For most, having an MBA would be enough, for Ilene it was just the beginning. To enhance her employability, she went back to school and earned a Master of Accounting Science from the prestigious University of Illinois She earned a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, and was also a CPA and a Certified Management Accountant. She had a long association with the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants administering professional exams. Ilene was co-owner (with her husband Steve Goldfine) and Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of Goldin Properties Midwest, a hospitality management company with hotels in northern Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan. Ilene also spent several years in the electric manufacturing and banking industries, was a small business consultant providing assistance with loan packaging as well as all aspects of business planning for the Center for Economic Development in Duluth. She was an author and instructor of continuing education courses. Ilene had teaching experience in both Finance and Accounting at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Marquette University, and the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee prior to becoming an Assistant Professor at the Labovitz School of Business at the University of Minnesota - Duluth. Ilenes community involvement included service on the Board of Directors and as a committee person on the Duluth - Superior Community Foundation, North Star Community Development Corporation, Minnesota Business Finance Corporation. She was Treasure of Temple Israel in Duluth and served as Co-President of the Northland Jewish Fund, and nationally on the Network of Independent Communities of the Jewish Federation of North America, as well as the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas. Ilene is survived by her loving and devoted husband Steven Goldfine of Duluth; sister Barbara (David) Behnke, nephew Joseph (Danita Evans) Behnke, grandnephews Isaiah and Isaac Behnke, all of San Jose, California; brother Jess (Ellen) Levin, nephews Jonathon (Sarah) Levin and Adam Levin, and grandniece Ella, mother-in-law Beverly Goldfine, sister-in-law Amy Goldfine, brother-in-law Dan (Robbie) Goldfine, niece Ariel and nephew Jonah Goldfine, all of Scottsdale, Arizona; brother-in-law and sister-in-law John and Donde Goldfine of Duluth, niece Fia Goldfine, and nephew Ted (Julie) Goldfine of St. Paul; and of course, Thurber, Ilenes very special pet. SERVICE: 11 a.m. Wednesday in Temple Israel, 1602 E 2nd St. Burial will be at Temple Emanuel Cemetery. Memorials are preferred and may be directed to one of the following, Ilene Levin and Steven Goldfine Charitable Fund c/o Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation; Temple Israel; Steven Goldfine and Ilene Levin Scholarship Fund at University of Minnesota Duluth; St. Lukes Foundation or Oral Cancer Foundation, 3419 Via lido #205, New Port Beach, CA 92663. Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, Duluth. (218) 727-3555