Fred was born in 1937, in Pensacola, Florida.
 He grew up in a conservative Jewish household, with his mother (Rose), father (Abe), and brothers (David, Herman, Stanley, Martin, and Allen).
  His father was a pawnbroker catering to the large military presence in the Pensacola area, and also ran the concessions at the Pensacola Greyhound Park and at a store on Pensacola Beach.

Fred attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, as an undergraduate, but did not do well academically.
 Instead, he was known as a drinker, smoker, and gambler.
  He was a member of Pi Lambda Phi, one of two Jewish fraternities on campus.
  It was at the University of Florida where he met his future wife, Marilyn, who was a member of the Jewish sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi.
 Marilyn and Fred had been married for 51 years upon her passing on February 6, 2011, survived by four children and seven grandchildren.

In 1958 Fred entered the University of Florida College of Law, mainly because he didn't want to leave the college party lifestyle, and his older brother David had established a small law firm that Fred could work.
 He had to attend summer school to get into law school, as his grades were below the required minimum 2.0 average.
 In 1958 virtually anyone could get into a Florida public law school, but approximately one-third would graduate.

In Fred's first few weeks of law school, he received news that his brother Martin didn't have long to live, succumbing to the end-stages of leukemia.
 Fred approached the dean of the law school, and asked for a few days away from school to attend his brother's funeral.
 The dean looked at Fred's undergraduate record, and told him that he could take the time off and that he didn't need to return as he never would make it through law school.

Fred drove from Gainesville to Pensacola, but did not make it to Pensacola before his brother died.
 Ignoring the advice of the dean, Fred returned to law school where he thrived, finishing third in his class.
 Fred's plan after law school was to return to Pensacola and practice with his brother for one year, and then return to law school to get a masters in tax law.
 He had no intention of becoming a trial lawyer as he was terrified by public speaking.
Fred was born in 1937, in Pensacola, Florida.  He grew up in a conservative Jewish household, with his mother (Rose), father (Abe), and brothers (David, Herman, Stanley, Martin, and Allen).   His father was a pawnbroker catering to the large military presence in the Pensacola area, and also ran the concessions at the Pensacola Greyhound Park and at a store on Pensacola Beach.
Fred attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, as an undergraduate, but did not do well academically.  Instead, he was known as a drinker, smoker, and gambler.   He was a member of Pi Lambda Phi, one of two Jewish fraternities on campus.   It was at the University of Florida where he met his future wife, Marilyn, who was a member of the Jewish sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi.  Marilyn and Fred had been married for 51 years upon her passing on February 6, 2011, survived by four children and seven grandchildren.
In 1958 Fred entered the University of Florida College of Law, mainly because he didn't want to leave the college party lifestyle, and his older brother David had established a small law firm that Fred could work.  He had to attend summer school to get into law school, as his grades were below the required minimum 2.0 average.  In 1958 virtually anyone could get into a Florida public law school, but approximately one-third would graduate.
In Fred's first few weeks of law school, he received news that his brother Martin didn't have long to live, succumbing to the end-stages of leukemia.  Fred approached the dean of the law school, and asked for a few days away from school to attend his brother's funeral.  The dean looked at Fred's undergraduate record, and told him that he could take the time off and that he didn't need to return as he never would make it through law school.
Fred drove from Gainesville to Pensacola, but did not make it to Pensacola before his brother died.  Ignoring the advice of the dean, Fred returned to law school where he thrived, finishing third in his class.  Fred's plan after law school was to return to Pensacola and practice with his brother for one year, and then return to law school to get a masters in tax law.  He had no intention of becoming a trial lawyer as he was terrified by public speaking.
Fred Levin