Leon Levine

The Charlotte community widely mourned Leon Levine Obituary And Death, which he had supported extensively through his philanthropic efforts. 

Leon Levine was an American businessman and philanthropist who established the Family Dollar discount store chain. He was a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Levine was noted for his business acumen, and he built Family Dollar into a multibillion-dollar corporation. He was a wealthy philanthropist who contributed millions to many organizations, including education and healthcare, in addition to his economic success. Levine established the Leon Levine Foundation to improve the lives of individuals in the Charlotte area and beyond.

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Family Dollar relocated its administrative and warehousing operations to a newly constructed building in Matthews, North Carolina, in 1974. Levine chose to list Family Dollar on the stock market in 1970. Two years later, Family Dollar’s common stock started trading on the AMEX.

Leon Levine Death Cause: How Did Family Dollar Founder Die?

Leon Levine is thought to have died naturally. The cause of Levine’s death has not been revealed to the media. 

Levine was born in 1937 in Wadesboro and graduated from Rockingham High School in 1955. At 22, he committed $6,000 to open Charlotte’s first Family Dollar Shop on Central Avenue.

Leon Levine
Family Dollar founder and NC philanthropist Leon Levine (source: Wsoctv)

Levine was inspired to create his variety chain after viewing a network of stores in Tennessee that sold things for less than $1. He chose to sell every item in his business for less than $2, from apparel to housekeeping products.

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His generosity aided in the establishment of institutions around Charlotte, notably the Levine Children’s Hospital and the Levine Cancer Institute at Carolinas Medical Center.

His gifts also aided in the establishment of the Levine Campus at Central Piedmont Community College, the Levine Museum of the New South, the Levine Jewish Community Center at Shalom Park, and the Levine Scholars Program at UNC Charlotte.

Laura Smith, president and CEO of the Foundation for the Carolinas, stated that “whenever a vital community needs to emerge, Mr. Levine was among the first to react,” adding that Levine was a “philanthropic icon.”

After leaving Family Dollar, Levine became one of the South’s most generous philanthropists, contributing hundreds of millions to colleges, hospitals, and Jewish organizations.

Leon Levine Obituary: Family Mourns His Death

On April 5, 2023, Mr. Levine died away quietly at home while receiving hospice care, surrounded by family. No one has significantly enhanced the lives of fellow Charlotteans and Carolinians in many ways. He started a bargain store, and it is still operating today.

Because there will always be individuals who need a hand up to a better life, the nonprofit organization that carries its name continues to exist. His reputation as a small-town guy who succeeded in the truest sense of the word will live on. He was 85.

Leon Levine
Leon Levine While Signing Deal With Leon Levine Foundation (source: Leonlevinefoundation)

In a statement, Eugene Woods, CEO of Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part, said Levine’s passing was a “deep loss for the Atrium Health family and beyond” and that his investments “changed the way we offer care at Atrium Health, particularly in pediatric and Cancer care.”

Levine’s death was profoundly grieved by the Charlotte community, which he had generously supported via his charitable initiatives. 

Several nonprofit institutions, including the Levine Children’s Hospital, the Levine Museum of the New South, and the Leon Levine Opportunity Center at Wingate University, bear his name. Levine’s reputation as a great businessman and generous philanthropist will live on in Charlotte for many years.

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