Mary Jean Lovell

Mary Jean Lovell died on July 4 in Astoria. She was 102.

She was born in Portland in 1922 to Alice Stockham Robinson and Harry Van Dusen Robinson. The Robinsons resided in Astoria for several years in the 1920s. Mary and her elder sister, Betty, attended Shively Elementary School in Astoria before moving back to Portland.

After graduating from Roosevelt High School in Portland, Mary attended the University of Oregon, where she renewed her childhood friendship with Bob Lovell. They married in December 1942. After spending the war years in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Portland, Bob and Mary moved back to Astoria in 1945, and resided there for the rest of their lives. Bob died in 2009.

Mary worked at Astor School as a physical education teacher and later, in the school library and office. She was active in scouting, serving as a Cub Scout den mother and a Brownie Scout leader. She taught Sunday school at Grace Episcopal Church, and sang in the church choir.

Mary was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, Grace Episcopal Church, Chapter FE of the PEO Sisterhood, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Clatsop County Genealogical Society and the Clatsop County Historical Society.

Blessed with an excellent ear for music, Mary was an accomplished pianist, although she did not read music well. She could play virtually anything by ear, a skill that served her well when her eyesight began to fail in the last decades of her life. She was a talented seamstress and quilter. She also enjoyed travel and reading.

Mary is survived by three of her four children: Bill Lovell, Jane Lovell and Anne Saarheim-Riggs. Mary and Bob’s youngest daughter, Martha Lovell Dahl, died in 2020. Mary is also survived by six grandchildren: Morgan Lovell Battisti, Jason Naggiar, Laurel Bui, Joe Saarheim, Olivia Huvane and Rudy Saarheim; as well as by 12 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; five nieces; and two nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, 1545 Franklin Ave., at noon Aug. 2. A reception will follow in the church parish hall.

Those wishing to make a charitable contribution are invited to donate to Grace Episcopal Church, the Clatsop County Historical Society, the Oregon Talking Book and Braille Library or a charity of their choice.