The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

The Doctors (a series of area graduates)

Dr. LaVerne Lovell: Engineer, Captain, Neuro-Surgeon

Dr. LaVerne Ray Lovell was born in La Harpe the 28th of July in 1950 to Ardis and Arline Lovell.

He attended La Harpe schools and graduated with the class of 1968.

As a youngster, he delivered papers for many years, mowed lawns in the summers, and worked his high school years at Miller's grocery on Main Street. He and his family attended the La Harpe Christian Church.

During his school years, LaVerne was active in several sports eventually becoming co-captain of his football and basketball teams his senior year.

The track team and summer baseball rounded out his sporting extra-curricular activities.

He enjoyed playing the trumpet and baritone in the high school band as well as participating in the speech program and class plays.

In his senior year he was the Student Council President and Homecoming King.

LaVerne holds fond memories of his relationship with the Christian youth group and their outings, especially summer church camp.

After graduation, Dr. Lovell entered Illinois Wesleyan College on full scholarship where he attended one year prior to leaving for the United States Navy in the fall of 1969.

His military career would span over 30 years with many exciting assignments.

Initially, he was directed into electronics school and then was selected to attend the United States Naval Academy in 1971. He graduated from USNA in 1975 with a BS degree in Aerospace Engineering.

The Navy provided a new opportunity with assignment to the Nuclear Power Training Unit in Connecticut and then on to an operational nuclear submarine, the USS Sargo, in Pearl Harbor.

A transfer back to Connecticut in 1979 found him assigned to help build the USS Dallas, at that time, the newest and fastest of the Navy's attack submarines.

The submarine service was exciting for La Verne during the Cold War years and offered him adventures that most only read of or watch in movies. Yet, there was another challenge that kept stirring him. For many years, La Verne had entertained the idea of a career in medicine.

In 1982, the then Lt. Lovell was accepted to start medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.

Attending medical school in the greater Washington, DC area was a dream experience.

With Bethesda Naval Hospital, Walter Reed Army Hospital, The National Institutes of Medicine, National Children's Hospital, and a host of other facilities at his avail, a medical education could be no more complete.

He graduated in 1986 with his MD degree.

From graduation to the summer of 1993, Dr. Lovell obtained his credentials as a neurosurgeon at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Virginia became his next assignment where he served as Chief of Neurosurgery for seven years.

He retired from the Navy as a Captain in May of 2000 with over 30 years of active service.

Dr. Lovell recently entered into private practice in Memphis, Tennessee upon retirement from the Navy.

He has an active practice across the spectrum of neurosurgery with special emphasis in complex spinal reconstruction.

Dr. Lovell is certified by the American Board of Neurologic Surgery and is a diplomate of the American College of Surgeons.

LaVerne has been married to the former Margaret Anne (Peggy) Weik of Wilmington, Delaware for 27 years.

They have three children: Kelly, graduate of Wittenberg University, is employed with Merck Pharmaceutical Company; Hunter, graduate of the University of Virginia, is an engineer with Norfolk Naval Shipyard; and Conrad, a sophomore at Cornell University majoring in Materials Science/Biomedical Engineering.

LaVerne and Peggy make their home in the historic Central Gardens section of Memphis, Tennessee where they enjoy gardening, antiquing and traveling.

Dr. Lovell said the articles on La Harpe area doctors are very interesting to him as he left La Harpe at age 19 and many have faded from his memory. He is interested in others who took a similar life as he did. He may be reached at Dr. LaVerne Lovell