Orville Lee Lovett
January 04, 1940 - June 11, 2018
Obituary
DEFOREST-Orville Lee Lovett, age 78, of DeForest, Wis., passed away on Monday, June 11, 2018, at Agrace HospiceCare in Fitchburg. He was born on Jan. 4, 1940, in Jamestown, Ohio, the son of Ralph and Bertha (Weaver) Lovett. Lee graduated from Greeneview High School in Jamestown, Ohio. He married Helen Denbow, on Aug. 26, 1961, in Wilmington, Ohio. Lee received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilmington College, Wilmington, Ohio in 1962 and his master’s degree in entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1964. He worked as an entomologist and later a supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection from 1964 through 2001. Lee was a member of Bashford United Methodist Church in Madison from 1963 until his death, serving on many committees and singing in the choir. He was most committed to the annual mission trip to the Tree of Life Mission on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. Lee was an artist in wood and watercolor, completing many carvings and paintings, and for several years he carved with the DeWhittlers of DeForest. Lee was very physically active, especially in running, biking and cross-country skiing. He participated in many races, including two marathons and competed in the American Birkebeiner ski race at least 10 times. Lee especially loved all things outdoors, including birding, archery, hunting, fishing, trap shooting and sporting-clays shooting. He made annual trips west to hunt with friends and family. Lee is survived by his wife, Helen; two sons, Brian (Jennifer) Lovett, 51, of Oshkosh, Wis. and Eric (Andrea) Lovett, 49, and their children, Robbie, 10, and Alex, 5, of Mendota Heights, Minn.; sister, Ruth Gills of Jamestown, Ohio; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Gene, Jim and Max; and sisters, Helen and Mildred. A memorial service for Lee will be held at BASHFORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 329 North St., Madison, Wis., at 12 Noon, on Saturday, June 16, 2018, with Dr. Amanda Stein presiding. A visitation will be held at the church, at 11 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be gifted in Orville’s name to Agrace HospiceCare or Bashford United Methodist Tree of Life Mission on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation.
Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Dr.
(608) 221-5420
Events
Visitation
Sat Jun 16, 2018 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT
Bashford United Methodist Church (Madison) • 329 North Street, Madison, WI 53704
Memorial Service
Sat Jun 16, 2018 @ 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT
Bashford United Methodist Church (Madison) • 329 North Street, Madison, WI 53704
Photos
No photos of Orville have been shared yet.
Memories
DP
Don and Ginny Pahlow
Other •
Helen and family. So sorry to hear of Lee's death. Please know you are in our prayers.
Don and Ginny Pahlow
RA
Richard & Norma Arceneaux
Other •
Richard and Norma Arceneaux
We will keep you in our prayers. We did not know that Lee was sick and are sorry
to hear of his death. Just trust God day by day for your strength. God Bless!
Richard and Norma Arceneaux
DG
Donna Gilson
Other •
Lee was my co-worker and friend. He was a man of common sense and uncommon decency. One of his former staff remembers that he used to tell them they should pull over and enjoy some of the sites in Wisconsin when they were working in the field. We have wonderful jobs in a wonderful state, and should take time to appreciate that, he would tell them. We'll miss him.
JJ
Jean Johnson
Other •
Helen, I am so sorry io here about you loosing Lee. My thoughts are with you and wish I could do more.
Jean Johnson
JR
Jackie Kalscheur Reynolds
Other •
I worked with Lee at Ag in the late 60's early 70's. I asked him for advice on how to be a good parent. He responded "love your kids." I didn't think he really answered my question because of course parents always love their kids. Well it was the best advice I ever received. As our family struggled with Charlie's (husband and father) Huntington's Disease (hereditary) it felt as if our family was falling apart. Essentially I was a single parent and based on our sons' behavior, I felt like I was doing everything wrong. I would remember Lee's advice and I would tell them that I loved them even though it was hard to love them sometimes. (I am sure I was hard to love as well.). I have passed Lee's advice on to my sons. I tell them that when their kids are hardest to love is when they need it the most. My sympathies to all of you for your loss.
SZ
Sharon K. Vander Zyl
Other •
We met Lee through Helen since I worked with Helen. Afer retirement, we shared time with Lee and Helen in the out of doors and were always amazed at Lee's knowledge of birds and all things natural. We loved his dry, quiet sense of humor. We have one of his carvings by which to remember him and it will be precious to us. Helen, you and your family are in our daily prayers.
Rollie and Sharon Vander Zyl