08/21/2020
Tony Donald (Don) Lovell, 72, was born November 6, 1947 to H.V. (Tony) Lovell and Ura Johnson Lovell in Center, Texas. He passed away August 20, 2020 in Garrison, Texas after a long battle with several health problems.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, August 22, 2020, at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, August 23, 2020, At Watson & Sons Chapel officiated by Rev. Bobby Warr and Richard Livingston. Burial to follow at Mt. Herman Cemetery in Center, Texas.
Don was born and raised in the Mt. Herman community in Center, Texas and graduated Center High School in 1965. He worked at Nibco for several years before becoming a full-time farmer. Don married Deborah Jo Livingston in 1970 and they had 3 children: Deanne, Dewayne & Delana. He was of the Baptist faith. He raised chickens for over 40 years, farmed several hundred acres of watermelons as well as a variety of other produce. He spent many long hot summers on the tractor pulling a field trailer and loading melons to put in trucks to send off to the supermarket. In recent years he enjoyed baling hay and made his living from that until he was no longer able to work.
Don was an avid hunter and fisherman. When not working you could catch him most days at the river or lake or even a small pond trying to catch a big one. When hunting season hit, he would carry either a shotgun or rifle with him everywhere he went. He most enjoyed squirrel hunting and spent many years and walked many miles chasing squirrels where he would take to the camp for dinner and skinning, followed by a big mess of squirrel and usually a few rounds of 42. He spent many years with his lifelong friends enjoying many hunting and fishing trips. He would tell of the stories of dove, duck, deer, squirrel, quail and anything else he could hunt or fish he could catch along with his hunting buddies and later his children. He taught his kids to hunt, fish, and live the good outdoor life and work for a dollar. He won many a fishing tournament and hunting competition and bragged about how lucky he was.
The lucky ones were his family and friends and knew and loved him. He liked to spend his time with those closest to him and ride through back roads remembering all the places he hunted, fished or farmed. There's nothing he wouldn't do for a friend or someone in need and loaned out and gave away many things just to be able to help those less fortunate or someone in a bind. He had a loving heart and will be missed deeply by those that knew him most.
Don is survived by
Mother: Ura Lovell of Center
Children:
Deanne Lovell Sample & husband, Jason of Center
Dewayne Lovell of Center
Delana Lovell of Center
Grandkids:
Gauge Sample, Hunter Sample & Briar Sample of Center
Toni Lovell & Connor Lovell of Center
Jax Haislip, Kaycee Vaughn, Jake Lovell & Zane Lovell of Center
Longtime girlfriend and special friend:
Donna Hulsey of Patroon
Many friends
He was preceeded in death by his father, H.V. (Tony) Lovell; grandparents, Rev. Lewis & Trudy Johnson and Minnie Barlow; infant grandson, Tony Dustin Lovell.
Pallbearers will be Gauge Sample, Hunter Sample, Briar Sample, Jax Haislip, Jason Sample, Justin Lee, Darin Borders & Mike Scates.
Honorary Pallbarrers will be Richard Livingston, James Lynn Livingston, Royce Lynn Johnson, Marcus Wilson, Richard Tomlin & Jimmy Strong.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mt. Herman Cemetery fund c/o Deanne Sample, 1106 CR 4314, Tenaha, TX 75974 or to the family for final expenses.
The family would like to express a special Thank You to the staff at Garrison Nursing Home and to Hospice of East Texas in both Tyler and Nacogdoches offices.
Online condolences & tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfuneralhome.com
