December 22, 1921 - May 27, 2014
On May 27 Thomas George Lovett, age 92, died peacefully at his home surrounded by family and friends.
Born in a farmhouse near Moorland, Iowa, on December 22, 1921, Tom was the first of three children of (Thomas) George Lovett and Josephine Van Eps. The family moved to Minnesota when Tom was 12. Tom attended Madelia High School from 1935 through his graduation in 1939. During his high school years, the Lovett family moved to a quarter section farm south of Madelia, Minnesota.
During WWII, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marines and served as a landing signal officer (LSO) aboard aircraft carriers, and as a fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater. He was awarded the Air Medal six times and the Distinguished Flying Cross twice, retiring from the service at the rank of Captain.
In 1947 Tom and Rosemary Balk were married. After his graduation from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1951, Tom practiced law in Minneapolis for 59 years.
During his legal career, Tom focused on real estate, probate, estate planning, banking, commercial law, and was a court-appointed referee and trustee under federal bankruptcy law. In the community, Tom served as a trustee of St. Peter’s Catholic Church of Richfield for more than a half-century.
He is survived by his wife Rosemary; children Michael (Sylvia), Thomas (Annemarie), Richard (Carol), Joseph (Kim), Shawn (Lynn), and Mary Susan; grandchildren Kara (Russ Epperson), Patrick (Amy), Erin (Matt Blair), Matthew, Colin (Chelsea), Ian, Shannon (Brad Breidenbach), Thomas (Samantha), Emily (fiance Brian Woodruff), Alec, David (Saphiya), Timothy, Logan, Abigail, Delaney, and Sean; by great-grandchildren Colin, Ainsley, and Grady Blair, Iris Epperson, and Catherine Lovett; sister Kathleen Mackenzie; Candace Lovett, and many other family, friends, and neighbors. He was preceded in death by his brother James William (Bill) Lovett.
The family is grateful to the staff of the University of Minnesota Medical Center and Fairview Home Care and Hospice.
Memorials preferred to the Church of St. Peter (Richfield) Endowment Fund.
What a wonderful life Thomas Lovett experienced. He seemed to have had many rewarding events and certainly worked a long and successful career. I am sure that there are many memories to cherish among such a large family and a community of friends. May your family find comfort in sharing these with each other. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Shawn,
My sincere condolences to you and your family. From reading your father’s obituary it is easy to understand that he was a great man! Hoping your wonderful memories of your father will give you peace.
Dave Kvaas
I was so sorry to hear of Tom’s death. We shared the same birthday and for the last 20 years (or more!) we have exchanged birthday cards. Our birthday is December 22nd, which obviously is a busy time of the year, but that did not matter. I knew that every year when my birthday rolled around, his card would be there! He would always write a note in the card and then sign it “Your birthday buddy” This past December, our birthdays landed on a Sunday, and sure enough, that Saturday I received a card in the mail in a timely fashion! Though I had a card for him, I had not yet mailed it when I recieved his, so my husband drove it over and stuck it in the mailbox! Having lost my own dad over 20 years ago, receiving Tom’s cards and maintaining this tradition, really meant a lot to me. Tom was a great man and his loving, Irish nature will be missed.
Tom & Family: As I read his obituary, all I could think was what a legacy. It seems that he never wasted one moment of his life. It was wonderful to read not only about his accomplishments but about the family that surrounded him, I a lot of love. I am deeply sorry for your loss and I sincerely hope and pray that comfort in knowing that he knew and felt the love around him his entire life will far outweigh the grief.
May God bless you and your family.
Celia
Tom and Family: It was a short time that we were neighbors to you, but we were very grateful for our time as such. Tom was a very inspirational man and his accomplishments were surpassed by his friendly nature. I was very glad to be a part of the day your family spent at the Twins game and very happy to know such wonderful people.
God bless all of you.
Tyler and Maria