Harold J. Lovell's Obituary
Lieutenant Harold J. Lovell, age 85, of North Ridgeville and The North Ridgeville Police Department, passed away Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at UH Elyria Medical Center. He was born in Fairview, OH in 1936, and moved to North Ridgeville in 1946, graduating from North Ridgeville High School in 1954 and was employed as a carpenter, belonging to Local 1280 for several years. Harold was one of the original charter members to form the North Ridgeville Auxiliary Police unit and was sworn in as the city’s first game warden to enforce city hunting and trapping laws. He was sworn in as police patrolman by former Mayor Paul Sweda, making him the third full time member of the new police dept. He was promoted to rank of Sergeant then Lieutenant and served 3 years in the detective bureau before overseeing the patrol division. Lt. Lovell was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodges #25 & 54, N.R. Auxiliary Police, Historical Society, NRA, and St. Peter’s Catholic Church. He was certified as firearms instructor by the NRA. Lt. Lovell retired from the police department after 27 years, then moved to LaGrange. Harold was inducted into the N.R.H.S. Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in 2007. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, collecting antiques and traveling with his wife Edith. He is survived by his daughter’s Jennifer (Chuck) Harmon of Wellington, Melanie (Dennis) Innes of Wellington, Jamey (Robert) Kepic of Avon Lake, Sherry (Ralph) Davis of LaGrange, son Bobby E. Smith of Grafton, sister Joyce Ann (Bernie) Frabotta of Amherst, 7 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 49 years Edith (nee Chadwick), son Albert R. Smith Jr., parents Russell and Leora, brother’s Russell S., Edgar R., and Ronald R. Respecting social distancing and the wearing of masks, family will receive friends Sunday, March 21, 2021 from 2-4 pm at Bogner Family Funeral Home, 36625 Center Ridge Rd., North Ridgeville. Prayer service will be held at Bogner Family funeral Home on Monday March 22, 2021 at 9:30 am. A Mass of Christian burial will follow at 10 am at St. Peter’s Church in North Ridgeville. Rev. Joe Robinson will officiate. Burial will follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery. For further information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.bognerfamilyfuneralhome.com
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