Philip Lovell

Phil Lovell was born February 27, 1951, in New York City to George and Ann Lovell. They soon moved to Rochester for his father’s medical practice and that is where Phil grew up, along with his older brother, Rob Lovell (now in Maine) and younger sister, Carol Carmody (now in Boston). Some of Phil’s favorite times were summers at their grandparents’ home in Shelter Island, NY, where he began racing sailboats.

He attended Denison University, earning a BS in Math and Economics, but his highlights of college were playing varsity soccer and living in the Sigma Chi fraternity house. Phil went on to earn an MBA in graduate school at Northwestern University and then worked for Price Waterhouse for two years in Chicago. However, in 1975 he decided to “go west” and he moved to Phoenix, AZ. Phil was drawn into the real estate boom and started working for Grubb & Ellis Commercial Real Estate in the Industrial division. He loved his 27-year career and was highly successful.

In 1983 he married Betsy Garland Lovell and together they had two daughters, Annie and Wendy, who became the pinnacle joy of their lives. Phil taught them to swim, coached their soccer games, and spent hours playing in the backyard. He took the family on many adventure vacations, including going to Shelter Island, NY and Weekapaug, RI where he shared his love of sailing with them.

Phil was a talented athlete and active throughout his life. In high school he was captain of the basketball team. At Denison University he was captain of his varsity soccer team. He was an avid snow skier, tennis player, hiker, and nature lover, but golf was his passion, and he was a true student of the game. He was a member of Desert Highlands Golf Club, Seven Canyons in Sedona and currently at Desert Forest Golf Club in Carefree. He has also been a member of the Camelback Village Health Club for 43 years, enjoying that community of friends and playing pickle ball up until six weeks before his passing.

Cancer never diminished his strength of character nor his sense of humor. He passed on August 9, 2024.  In lieu of flowers, please support an organization of your choice in his memory. A private Celebration of Life will follow.