NAOMA ARDELL MCCALMONT died June 22, 2012 at the age of 90. She was a beautiful, gracious woman, wonderful wife, beloved mother, and creative spirit. Born in Eureka, Kansas, she grew up in Vernon, Texas, one of the four remarkable McCalmont sisters. As a young woman, she boarded a train and headed off to Washington, D.C., to work for the War Department. Missing the wide open spaces of the west, she took a job in the secret city of Los Alamos (she had to tell people she lived and worked in Santa Fe) to work for the Atomic Energy Commission. In Los Alamos, she met and fell in love with her husband, Earl Levitt. They were partners, parents, and companionate friends for over 60 years until his death in 2009. They moved to Albuquerque in 1955 and happily made their lives and raised their children here. Ardell was an extraordinary mother, a role which she cherished. Her children, Havens Levitt and her partner Rebecca Dakota, and Dana Levitt and his wife, Adele Levitt, and her grandchildren, Ethan and Hannah, all benefited from her sweet presence in their lives. She had the skill and patience to create technical manuscripts (without the aid of the "delete" button) and sew beautiful clothes for herself and daughter. She was funny, playful, and artistic, the best jacks player this side of the Mississippi (perhaps, on the other side, too), a calligrapher, an illustrator, and a great cook. She made the best biscuits, lasagna, and peach preserves. In her later years she became an avid reader, especially of biography. Toward the end of her life, despite many challenges, she maintained her gentle, kind way with everyone. Her life was a blessing. A memorial will be held Tuesday, July 3rd, 4 pm, at Daniels Funeral Home, 7601 Wyoming NE, followed by a celebration of all things Ardell. To view information or leave a condolence please visit: www.danielsfuneral.com Daniels Family Funeral Services 7601 Wyoming Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 505-821-0010
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