John "Jack" Lovell

In Loving Memory of
John “Jack”
Lovell
age 60
Jack is lovingly remembered by his
 wife Angela, sons William & John, 
his mother Jean, as well as his siblings 
Brian, Lori & Brenda

Died
February 22, 2019
at his residence
Manitou, Manitoba

In accordance with Jack’s wishes cremation has taken place and 
a private family memorial will 
be held at a later date. 

Donations in memory of Jack may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba;
6 Donald St. Winnipeg, MB R3L 0K6.

Jack Lovell

Jack was born in Virden, but in 1964 at the age of six, his parents moved to Manitou and into the house on Park Street that would become his home for the rest of his life. 
From a young age, Jack had an insatiable curiosity and appetite for knowledge that started with reading every volume of the encyclopaedia at the elementary school library over and over again and ended up with him pursuing a Doctorate at the age of 56.
When he was around 14, Jack began working during the summer holidays for his father, Allan in the family lighting business he originally started in his garage, which later grew into a   manufacturing company that sold iconic ‘Lovell Lights’ and streetlight conversion kits across  North America. 

Jack eventually started his own lighting company in Manitou, J.L Lovell Inc. which shipped lighting products to utilities in Canada and the United Kingdom, and at its height employed around 13 local people.

Always a history buff, it was Jack’s interest in his own family’s roots that took him to Minster Lovell in England in 1985, during which trip he met his future wife, Angela. Travel was another of his passions and his later university studies took him to Italy, England and Ireland. He was an adventurer, but was just as content with simple pleasures like cooking a summer BBQ in the back yard or going for a quiet drive in the Pembina Valley in his old truck.

At the age of 49, Jack decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and began to pursue higher education. He often spoke about how out of place he’d felt the first day he’d walked into Brandon University ‘as this grey-haired dude among all these young people on their cell phones’. He was to make many friends among them and was always the first to act as a mentor, sharing his life experience and organisational skills to give his fellow students a helping hand. Ultimately, Jack thrived in the academic environment, successfully competing a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 2012, and going on to achieve a Masters Degree and the Brandon University Gold Medal Award in Master of Rural Development. 

He achieved all of this while also juggling an active family and a new career. In 2007, Jack had taken a new direction as a contracted Economic Development Officer with the Louise Community Development Corporation based in Pilot Mound, spending the next eleven years putting his many years of business experience and problem solving skills to good use. Over the years he helped many people establish or grow their businesses and brought in funding for community groups and projects.

Jack began his PhD of Philosophy at the University of Manitoba in 2016 at the age of 58, and over the last few years, he spent a lot of time researching among the Indigenous Cree people of Northern Manitoba, developing strong friendships. 

It was Jack’s humility and willingness to listen that earned him respect and trust wherever he went; whether it was in the cut-and-thrust world of international business or sharing a simple meal around the campfire with his Northern friends.

Few people realize that Jack was also an accomplished astrologer, having studied with the Faculty of Astrology in London, England. He planned and lived according to this ancient science, and was sought out by many people for life advice and guidance.

Jack was a deep thinker and his profound, nature-based spirituality grew out of a lifelong love of nature and wild places, where he was always comfortable and happy. He recalled long childhood days out in the woods, baiting his traps for small animals that he never caught, fishing and swimming in the river, riding his bike for miles down country roads to visit his grandparent’s farm near Darlingford, and playing street hockey with his friends in the winter. These carefree days imprinted on him a deep and abiding respect for nature and an understanding that he was a part of the natural world and not apart from it. 

Jack never shied away from a challenge, taking them head on and figuring out a solution no matter how complex the problem was. After retiring last March to concentrate on completing his PhD thesis, he faced probably the biggest challenge of his life when he was diagnosed with heart failure. Characteristically, Jack researched and learned, and did everything he could to make himself healthy, determined to get back to normal – after all he still had so much left to do! 

His family was everything to him. Jack was incredibly proud of his two sons and their many accomplishments, offering advice, encouraging them to do their best and believe in themselves and helping them grow into fine young men.

The world has lost a great scholar, a wise mentor, and we, his grieving family have lost a loving and compassionate husband, father, son, brother and uncle. Life with Jack was never dull and life without him will be hard, but we know his legacy will live on in all the hearts he has touched throughout his lifetime. Thank you Jack – we love and miss you.

Journey well until we meet again.

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