William Christopher (Chris) Lovell, 64, retired Memphis Firefighter, passed away unexpectedly
Monday, September 5, 2022, in Memphis, TN. He was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Mary
Frances and William Clyde Lovell, and a sister, Nancy Caldwell Wright. Chris leaves behind his identical
twin brother, Joseph Mark Lovell, as well as siblings, Paula Busler (Tom), Linda Murley (Chuck), Steve
Lovell, David Lovell (Lynne), Susie Hayes (Al). Chris also leaves behind many nieces and nephews who
will miss his joyful presence. He was a proud graduate of Bishop Byrne High School and attended
Memphis State University. Chris was warm and funny, thoughtful and faithful. He and Mark were deeply
devoted to our mother and always kept alive the memory of our parents.
Chris was a man of many interests yet was always available to help family members. He loved crappie
fishing, often late at night, and when he had enough in the freezer would have a huge fish fry with all the
fixings. His hush puppies are legendary. He enjoyed turkey hunting and had one of his prizes mounted in
our mother's den which caused a few uneasy nights for his nieces who napped on the sofa below. He
enjoyed gardening and lawn care. He was meticulous about setting up his black plastic garden and enjoyed
sharing his bounty of okra, tomatoes and squash. He had a beautiful lawn and explained that 'you have to
keep after it'. He transplanted rose bushes from late family members as living memorials.
He was well-liked and respected by his fellow firefighters and was a good firefighter himself. He was the
firehouse cook whose specialties included The Bacon Blastoff, all day popcorn, and Momma's spaghetti.
His faithful companion was his beloved black Lab/Great Dane, The Arthur (aka Arthor, The Arthursaurus).
Arthur is a legend in his own right – Chris would regale any who would listen with stories about Arthur
guarding his yard and scaring passers-by with his booming bark. He was an expressive and animated storyteller who painted a vivid picture. When he stood with a twinkle in his eye it was evident that a memorable
tale was forthcoming.
As a young man he owned a green 1969 SS Camaro. He cruised Whitehaven with other hot rodders and
was heartbroken when it was stolen. The car was never recovered and neither did he. Another highlight of
his life was winning the grand prize of a new john boat and trailer at 14 years old. He also enjoyed an epic
month-long visit to Hawaii with our uncle.
He was an extraordinary brother and we can't imagine our lives without him. In his own words:
Today I end my 32 year career on the Memphis Fire Department. It wasn't really a job it was an
experience. One thing I regret is I didn't keep a diary of all the stuff I saw. If I had kept one and
gave it to a library they would probably put it in the fiction section because people wouldn't believe
a lot of it. Much of it is just a blur now. I worked with a lot of good people over the years. It's a job
for the young and it's time for this old man to to step aside and let the younger generation take
over. This is retired fireman Chris Lovell signing off.
Memorials may be sent to St. Bernard Abbey, 1600 St. Bernard Drive SE, Cullman, AL 35055, or to the
charity of the donor's choice. Services entrusted to Bartlett-Heritage Funeral Home & Cremation; 5809
Stage Road, Bartlett, TN (901) 372-5555; bartlettheritage.com

St. Ann Catholic Church, Bartlett
6529 Stage Road
Bartlett, TN
Visitation: Monday, September 12, 2022, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the church
Funeral Mass: Tuesday, September 13, 2022, 11:00 a.m.
Burial: Calvary Cemetery, 1663 Elvis Presley Blvd.