Obituary of Robert Conant Lovell

Robert Conant Lovell passed away at age 81 on February 26, 2017 with his wife Sandra and his sons William and John by his side. Robert was born in White Plains, New York on October 31, 1935. He led a full and productive life. Robert grew up on in the Town of Dennis on Cape Cod and in the Boston area. He graduated from Wellesley High School, Wellesley, Massachusetts where he was on the varsity wrestling team and a member of ROTC. In 1953, he entered the University of Maine, School of Forest Resources. He attended Forestry Camp and in 1955 worked in Oregon with the United States Forest Service team clearing and backfiring to stop approaching fires. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1955 where he was an E5 Administration Sergeant in an HQ & Supply Company in Seoul, Korea. Robert returned to Massachusetts and enrolled as a co-op student in Business Administration at Northeastern University. For one of his co-op jobs, Robert started, with his brother Ken and a friend, a stonework design and construction company employing techniques developed and used by his father, Carleton, Field Engineer on the Bear Mountain Bridge. Robert graduated from Northeastern University in 1963 and then joined the Eastman Kodak Company. There he was a production planner for Kodak Park Paper Manufacturing and for Gelatin Manufacturing. Robert traveled nationally and internationally when he was project manager for Kodak inventory systems and senior analyst for Kodak export systems. He retired from Kodak in 2000. Robert met his wife Sandra on a ski trip to Aspen. They were married on Feb. 18, 1967. In 1968, they bought 3 acres of land in Victor, cleared some of the land themselves and had the foundation and framing done for a house. Robert shingled the house with help from his wife and family. Robert and Sandra with their 6-week old son, William, moved in January 1, 1972. In his spare time, Robert did all the interior trim work. Their second son, John, was born in 1973. They planted fruit trees, a large vegetable garden, a bird garden, shrub border with dwarf evergreens, perennial gardens and meadow. From the time they were young, Robert encouraged his sons to work with him on projects. Visiting nephews and friends were expected to pitch right in with yard work (they disappeared quickly). He enjoyed relaxing under the pergola he built on the terrace next to the pool and pool garden. Robert also worked with his son John on the house John and his wife were building in New Jersey. Robert, his wife Sandra and son William helped John build stone walls, a patio and garden terraces on the property. After moving to Brighton in 2011, Robert worked on an old Tudor house and gardens, building two arbors and several raised beds to accommodate the clay soil. A quiet man, with a dry sense of humor, Robert was compassionate and generous with his time. He loved the family cats and, a little less so, the dogs. A self-taught woodworker, he built many pieces of furniture for the house and for family and friends. All were custom from native and exotic wood with a natural finish. All pieces were made with his heart. He always looked for new ideas when traveling. Robert enjoyed playing backyard football or soccer with his sons and family members and friends. He enjoyed going to the boys' sports activities, swimming, skiing, hiking in the Adirondacks, even canoeing, going to Cape Cod and visiting relatives. He liked good wine and good food. He and his wife liked to explore the local foods whenever they visited relatives or traveled. He especially liked visiting and interacting with his grandchildren. Robert is survived by his loving wife of 50 years Sandra Lovell; children William and John; daughter-in-law Une-He; grandchildren: Conant (CJ), Leo and twins Lily and Elizabeth; sister Katherine Demarco; brother Kenneth; niece and nephews. Robert was an inspiration to his family and family friends. He will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him. Family and friends will gather in Cape Cod this summer to celebrate Robert's life. Memorial donations may be made to the National Kidney Foundation or the Parkinson's Foundation Rochester.