Wendy Heyman Levin, 75, of Atlanta

Wendy Heyman Levin (Bubbe), 75, of Atlanta died Thurs., March 28, 2013.

Born in Cambridge, Mass. on Feb. 1, 1938, to Herbert and Evelyn Holtz, Wendy fought through a difficult childhood marked by the loss of her father when she was 10 years old. That didn’t stop her pursuit for education; she graduated from Wheelock College in 1959. Somewhere along the way, she picked up a love of laughter and inanimate frogs, building a collection of many dozens.

In between laughs, she took a break from teaching and birthed two sons, John and Andy, after marrying her first husband Ben Heyman in 1959. In 1969, the family moved from New Jersey to Atlanta, where she raised her two boys.

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She became an avid volunteer, including stints as Boy Scout den mother, Little League team mother and president of ORT (Organization for Rehabilitation through Training). The absence of pure teaching represented a hole she decided to fill, as she returned to school to get her teacher’s certificate for Georgia at the age of 45. She then returned to her calling as a schoolteacher for the rest of her life.

After marrying her final love, Merton Levin, in 1994, she finally overcame her fear of flying, traveling to many places around America and Europe. She also loved going to plays with her girlfriends, splurging on fried chicken and ribs, and continuing education.

Bubbe’s true passion, though, was her grandchildren who survive her from the Heyman family: Bentley, Tyler, Eli, Talia and Charlie. She is also survived by her sons, John Heyman (and his wife Erin Heyman) and Andy Heyman; her step-daughter, Rina Wolfe, and her husband Jack; her sister, Mary Udell, and her husband Dan; and 63 frogs that line her shelves around her home and jewelry box.

An online guestbook is available at edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wendy Heyman Levin Scholarship Fund (contact Shellie at schmals.ashventures@gmail.com). The funeral service was held at 1 p.m. Sun., March 31, 2013 at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Dr. NW, Atlanta, GA 30327, with Rabbi Brad Levenberg officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.