Tolly J. Lovelace

Tolly Jay Lovelace

1940-2019

Tolly Jay Lovelace, age 78, left this life on January 11, 2019. He was born in El Dorado, AR on April 2, 1940 to Cecil Tolliferro Lovelace and Cora Ila Craig Lovelace.

A faithful husband and good father, all who knew Tolly knew him to be a genuine person and a gentleman. From an early age, he wanted people to perceive him as tough, and he seemed kind of dangerous and tough at times. But in his heart was a real compassion and sincere affection for others, he was “a Pitbull with a lot of bark, but no teeth.” Serving his country in the Air Force, he met a beautiful young lady named Connie. Connie thought this Arkansas hillbilly was Mr. Cool, and they went on their first date to her Senior Prom, stopping at Cecil’s Fried Chicken on the way for dinner. With his arm around her as they drove in his recently reassembled car, a romance began that could not be dimmed with distance; as he was transferred to a base in Alaska, and with her attending school at Brigham Young University. They burned up the mail expressing how they felt about one another, with Connie opening a letter one day with an engagement ring from Tolly. After marrying on November 5, 1963 in the Los Angeles Temple, they started their journey and were joined for eternity; 50 years later, they travelled back to that same Temple to commemorate their marriage. Upon retirement from his career as a welder at DuPont, they served a mission to Nauvoo, Illinois; Tolly utilized his expertise at welding to help erect a building for musical productions for visitors. Meeting lots of fantastic people and making dear friends, this was a special time for he and Connie and filled with so many wonderful, spiritual experiences as missionaries. Tolly loved bluegrass; originally moving to Woodville to hunt deer, he became a part of helping to start the bluegrass scene at Triple Creek RV Park. He would often comment that he “wasn’t a picker, but he was a grinner”, as he listened to his favorite bands and supported Connie’s guitar and bass fiddle playing. Cars, especially fast cars, were always a passion of his; his enjoyment of speed prone cars, caused him to be referred to occasionally as “lead foot.” His sweetheart Connie, his family and his many dear friends will miss him, until the day appointed that they see him again.

Left to honor his memory is his loving wife of 55 years, Connie Lovelace; daughter, Sherryl Kay Smith and husband, Ralph, of Deweyville, TX; brothers, Ronnie Lovelace and wife, Dolores, of Woodville, TX, Barry Lovelace and wife, Debbie, of Joshua, TX, Lynn Lovelace and wife, Tina, of Orange, TX; sisters, Cecilia Weickershermer and husband, Michael, of Huntsville, AR, Pamela Rightsell and husband, Jack, of Huntsville, AR, Lisa Countryman and husband, Lyle, of Humble, TX, Jayne Sablotne and husband, Jeff; grandchildren, Tiffany Nicole Pard and husband, Jake, Beau Smith and Rachel Smith; and great-grandchildren, Dyson, Scarlet and Nova.

Tolly is preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation with family and friends will be 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 19, 2019, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’, 6108 Hazelwood Dr, Orange, TX. Tolly’s life honoring service will follow at 1:00 p.m. also at the church, with President Colin Bishop officiating.

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