Family Receives Dreaded News N.O. Native Dead In Oklahoma
04-29-1995 Times Picayune

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The Air Force chaplain called on Lakesha Levy's family at a
Midwest City, Okla., apartment Friday at 10 a.m. He had visited
before, but those trips were designed to prop up their world,
not shatter it.

Levy, a 22-year-old servicewoman caught in the bombing of the
Oklahoma City federal building, was dead, he told them.

The New Orleans native's body was pulled from the wreckage of
the Alfred P. Murrah building Thursday night, nine days after a
terrorist attack buried her under more than 300 tons of rubble.

Three other Air Force officers accompanied the chaplain, all in
their dress blues. Though many family members knew the news was
coming, the message's finality overwhelmed them.

Constance Favorite, Lakesha Levy's mother, was unable to discuss
her daughter's death hours later. Joyce Davis, Lakesha Levy's
mother-in-law, who had clung furiously to the hope she survived
the blast, collapsed.

"She finally broke," said Lakesha Levy's aunt, Karen Johnson.
And when the break came, she was comforted by her 2-year-old
grandson, Corey II.

"Corey came up to her and patted her on the back and said, 'I'm
sorry, mama. It's OK,' though I don't know where he came up with
that," Johnson said, managing a wry laugh at the memory.

Throughout the family's ordeal, Lakesha Levy's husband, Corey
Levy, 23, has stood tall, retelling stories about his love-at-
first-sight relationship with his wife and drawing support from
their son.

Deep down, family members said, Corey Levy knew his wife was
gone, but he never spoke the words.

"Right after the chaplain came, Corey grabbed his jacket and
started to bolt outside," Johnson said. "But his father went
after him."

Herman Levy caught his son outside, and the two took off
together in the car.

Behind the scenes, Herman Levy has already begun to prepare the
family for the rebuilding that lies ahead. Sunday, Corey Levy
and his son will move to New Orleans, Herman said, while the Air
Force takes care of sending Lakesha's body to New Orleans. The
Air Force also will ship the couple's belongings to New Orleans.

Air Force officials were handling burial arrangements Friday,
Johnson said. Lakesha Levy, who died while on duty, is
tentatively scheduled to receive a formal military funeral in
New Orleans one week from today.