James Lee Levingston

James Lee Levingston, 64, died Saturday, November 18, 2017 at home with family and friends nearby, including his best friend Boxer—his pet boxer dog—at his side. Jim was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana to Kathleen and Ernest Levingston, also of Lake Charles. He attended LaGrange High School, graduated Sulphur High School in 1971, and was baptized in Trinity Baptist Church.

He studied at LSU, and as a young man worked as a draftsman and computer technician with Levingston Engineers in Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and Baltimore, Maryland. Along with his father, he designed and oversaw the construction of custom Acadian >

Jim was brilliantly creative and pursued several artistic endeavors. For some years he owned and operated Magnolia Music recording studio producing music of local legends such as Chester Daigle, Roscoe Chenier, and other blues, pop, gospel and hip hop artists. He also enjoyed a close working relationship with Eddie Schuler of Gold Band Records. Jim was never without his guitar, endlessly strumming and humming the rhythms in his heart and head.

As a child, Jim was a superior artist, happily risking teachers’ reprimands to draw on his papers rather than focus on assigned work. Later he produced highly skilled, detailed charcoal, pencil, and pen and ink illustrations that express great movement and energy. As a mature artist he devoted his time to oil painting in contemporary, colorful, and even offbeat >

Family members who preceded him in death are his parents Kathleen and Ernest Levingston, his brother David Levingston, and his nephew Kenneth Levingston—all of Lake Charles. Survivors are his sister, Jeanne Levingston Owens and husband James, nephews Ryan Levingston and Paul Levingston and wife Sherri, all from Lake Charles, nieces Jesse Lambert and husband David of Baton Rouge, and Evelyn Malone and husband Michael of Roebling, New Jersey, plus six great nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be at Johnson Funeral Home on Wednesday, November 22, 2017 at 11 AM with visitation prior to the service from 9 to 11 AM. Burial will follow in Graceland Cemetery, Lake Charles, in the Levingston family plot.