LINCOLN – Jerome A. “Ben” Lovejoy, 96, passed away peacefully Feb. 21, 2008, at Mount Edwards Court Care Home, Victoria, British Columbia. He was born Sept. 6, 1911, in Lincoln. He graduated from Mattanawcook Academy, Class of 1930. Ben worked in the retail grocery business in Lincoln almost his entire 50-year residence there, except for two years during World War II, when he served the country, training young men in aircraft repair at Presque Isle Air Force base. He owned and operated the local IGA store in Lincoln from the late 1940s, through the early 1960s. He was active in the Lincoln Rotary Club over many of those years. Ben and Hilda moved to California in the early 1960s to be closer to their sons, who were working in the aerospace industry there. After 20 years in Southern California, Ben and Hilda moved back east to Portland, residing there for 10 years. In 1992 Ben and Hilda moved to Victoria, British Columbia, sponsored as landed immigrants by their son, Louis and his Canadian wife, Katherine, who had retired there from California in 1989. His wife, Hilda still resides in a retirement home in Victoria. Ben was a kind and generous person who will always be remembered as one of the last true gentleman of this age. He was predeceased by his parents, Stephen and Helen (Corro) of Lincoln; and his son, Jerome Michael of Dearborn, Mich. Ben is survived by his wife of 73 years, Hilda (Smith) of Victoria; brothers, Evan of Lincoln, Phillip and wife, Leone (Babineau), of Portland; son, Louis and daughter-in-law, Katherine (Buziak) of Victoria; daughter-in-law, Joy (Dudley) Lovejoy of Dearborn, Mich.; granddaughter, Cherie (Lovejoy) Scanlon and husband, Thomas, of Windham; grandsons, Brian and wife, Annie, of White Lake, Mich., Nicholas and wife, Marilyn (Devine), of Victoria; plus four great-grandchildren, many loving nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service was held 2:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at Chapel/Fireplace Lounge, Victorian Retirement Home, 1773 Feltham Road, Victoria, the Rev. Michael Caveney of the Gordon Head United Church, presided. The casket will then be transported to Clay Funeral Home, Lincoln, for a viewing and paying of last respects 2-4 p.m. Sunday, March 2. Spring interment will be in the family plot at Lincoln Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, your donation to the Alzheimer’s Society of British Columbia, 2571A Quadra Street, Victoria, BC, Canada V8T 4E1 would be much appreciated. For an online register book, please visit www.clayfuneralhome.com.
JEROME AUGUSTUS ‘BEN’ LOVEJOY
