Love it! Love it! Love it! – Loving Jenny Lovell

Photo provided by AUE Belize

By Giselle O’Brien: “To know Jenny is to know compassion.  Jenny loved.  She loved freely, passionately and maybe a bit too much.”

These are the words I used to pay respects to my dear friend, Jenny Lovell, yesterday, hours after hearing of her passing.  The passing of Jenny Lovell sent shockwaves through the nation of Belize, especially after her most recent appearance on KTV The Remix’s Audition show on Tuesday night. Jenny became a staple in Belizean households each summer as a permanent judge on the popular karaoke show, and she was the host of a recurring segment ‘Bruk it down, Miss Jenny’ on Open Your Eyes.  But in her latter years, she was doing much more than many may be aware of.

Each week Jenny would drive her magenta pick-up truck to the BDF Camp in Ladyville; she was a part of the Wellness team and provided counseling to the soldiers there.  Sometimes she drove alone – sometimes she enlisted the assistance of the young soldiers, and they were happy to oblige. Once, after two hours of singing and chatting, she jumped in her chair: “Gis! I left the young man out there waiting!” He didn’t mind at all – Jenny inspired loyalty. 

Jenny would often say that it was no issue to drive down from Belmopan for her soldiers.  For her, it was an act of duty – just an extension of her time in the US Navy.  Can you imagine sweet Jenny as a militant?!  Yes, she commanded attention in uniform for 21 years.

In addition to her work with the BDF, she was part of the faculty of  University of the West Indies’ Global campus, where she served as a Counseling Tutor and Coordinator for the MSc. Counseling program.  Jenny contributed greatly to mental health awareness and development in Belize, through her work with NDACC, The Ministry of Health and Wellness, PAHO and OAS.  She was a respected member of AUE (Authentic You Experience, Belize).

Jenny’s love for music was nurtured at a young age – the Lovell family is fondly remembered as a close, tight-knit family that encouraged their children in their various passions, including the arts.  Jenny and her sister, Val, were members of the choir at Pallotti High School, under Sister Therese.  Shortly after graduating high school, she met her lifelong friend, Francis Reneau.  She sang with the Mission Singers and was a soloist on songs from his album, Mass in Blues.  Their friendship, centered around music, led her to be involved in many of Frankie’s shows, especially his annual September specials.  Her favorite was the Motown show – of course, the music of that time was among her favorites.

Jenny and I became closely acquainted during KTV.  Shortly after the season ended, she called me saying she wanted voice lessons. “Voice lessons fi what?”, I asked her. I wanted her to coach me, not the other way around.  And so our weekly sessions became a give and take – we worked on tension, introducing some of the work I had learned while studying the Alexander Technique.  We practiced together – she taught me some tricks in harmonizing.  We talked about her work, and her beloved son – he was the light of her life, and his happiness and finding the love of his life brought her such joy. 

We spoke of our lives, our families, our dreams.  Because even at her age, my lovely Jenny had big dreams. Jenny wanted to change lives – she wanted Belizeans to advocate more heavily for Men’s Mental Health.  She wanted government employees such as the Police force, the BDF, and teachers to have free access to therapy and counseling. Jenny wanted gang members of Belize City to have access to proper rehabilitation facilities – because ultimately Jenny wanted peace and love – within Belize, within communities, and within herself.

To know Jenny is to know love. 

Jenny loved deeply and infectiously.  It was impossible to sit in a session with Jenny and not leave without a drop of love in your heart.  She had a way of seeing the best in people, and helping them see the best in themselves. There are so many ways that we could ask our agencies to commemorate the life that was Jenny Lovell, but if you truly would like to pay honor to this woman, who impacted our nation so greatly, do so by loving.

Love hard.  Love with kindness and compassion.  Love without judgment. Love life.

Love it. 

Love it.

Love it.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.

© 2024, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.