Jack Lovejoy was a community leader in Rockton, Illinois

Jack Lovejoy of Rockton, Illinois, died unexpectedly on May 7, 2018. He was an active lifetime member of the Rockton Lions Club where he served as the president and in other leadership roles. He worked on numerous committees including the Christmas Walk pancake breakfast where Jack would be seen smiling as he worked. Every year Lovejoy donated items to the Wimpy's Fund Auction, only to turn around and bid on those items again. At the OSD festival, he was one of the event sponsors who lent a hand anywhere it was needed.

His hard work and continued dedication earned him the Melvin Jones Award, the highest honor that any Lion can receive. As a Lion, Lovejoy generously gave back in many ways - he often bought dinner for everyone after a meeting.

The Rockton Lions Golf Play Day started in 2017. In the second year, Jack passed away and the golf play was renamed in his memory in 2018.

Lovejoy was a Hononegah High School graduate from the class of 1970. He was a strong supporter of Hononegah HOPE Foundation, serving on the original board of directors with the Foundations founder Ralph Marshal whom Lovejoy went to school with.

Each year, high school students from Hononegah and South Beloit are awarded the Jack Lovejoy Scholarship. These are given through a partnership between the Rockton Lions Club and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, who reads and reviews applications and helps with the decision-making process.

Lovejoy was born May 20, 1952, in Rockford, IL, the son of Newell and Rose (Bates) Lovejoy. He earned a bachelors degree from Illinois State University. He married Gayle Gunderson on June 1, 1974, at Roscoe United Methodist Church.

For thirty years, Lovejoy was the owner of Jack's Tire Sales and Service in South Beloit and a strong supporter of all local businesses. He loved family time, golfing, traveling, sitting on the beach in Aruba, reading, and going to Chicago Bears games.

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