Latham Edward Ovens of Lee died Sept. 18 after a short illness. He was 77 years old.
Ed is survived by his wife of 51 years, Shirley (Dewkett) Ovens and their son Michael Ovens and wife Jessica of Henderson, Nevada; grandchildren Hannah, Avery, Shane and Rylie; and brother-in-law Don Duquette and wife Wendelyn and their children.
Ed was born Nov. 4, 1939, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Latham Charles and Elizabeth Mary Quinlan Ovens. He spent his early years in Cincinnati and Hollywood, California. Later the family moved to Westchester County, New York, where he graduated from White Plains High School in 1957. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard for several years before settling in New York City where he worked in the charts department of Billboard Magazine. He loved his weekly calls to Casey Kasem with the week’s top 100 songs. Ready for a quieter life, he moved to the Berkshires where he met Shirley, the love of his life. He worked at Kimberly Clark and Schweitzer-Mauduit, retiring in 2002 after over 40 years of service. A lifelong sports fan, he enthusiastically followed his beloved teams the New York Giants, New York Rangers and Brooklyn Dodgers, then his adopted team, the Boston Red Sox. He took immense pride in watching his son excel in local football and baseball that eventually lead to his career as a varsity high school coach. He will forever be remembered for his sharp wit, ready smile, kindness and generosity.
A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at Kelly Funeral Home in Lee. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Ed’s life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lee Youth Football in care of Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main St., Lee, MA 01238. To leave a message of condolence or share pictures, visit www.kellyfuneralhome.net.
