Quechee, Vermont

Clair M. Lovell, 96, died peacefully Tuesday night August 9th at Cedar Hill in Windsor, Vermont.

Clair was born in Springfield, Vermont on February 6, 1920 the son of Clair, Sr. and Lucy Jane (Olmstead) Lovell.

When Clair was 10 years old his family moved to Hartford, Vermont. In 1939 he graduated from Hartford High School. He worked for Ward Baking company for 16 months, and in 1941 when his father went to work for a machine shop in Springfield, Vermont, Clair took over the family market (Lovell's Market), specializing in processing and cutting meat. During this time he also ran a meat cart where he would deliver meat, eggs, and butter as well as other items to household in the valley. During World War II when many items were rationed, many people did not have enough coupons to feed their families, he would use cattle, pigs and other livestock from his own farm to make sure people had enough food to eat. In 1952 he purchased land in Quechee which would become his long time passion of making Vermont's finest maple syrup for which he won many blue ribbons. On this same land he built a log cabin and called it home.

Clair was very involved in the production and evolution of Sugaring. He was the first sugar maker in Windsor County to use pipeline. While chairing the Vermont Sugar Makers Association he designed roadside signs "Vermont Maple Syrup --- The World's Best".

Clair's business energy continued to be noticed when in 1978 he began to build and develop small specialty shops along RT. 4 in Quechee that still thrive today.

Clair felt strongly about the community in which he lived. He served on the Quechee Library board, the Boy Scouts, the Hartford School Finance and Building Committee, the Board of Listers and the Board of Selectmen for the town of Hartford. He was recognized for his participation of more than 50 town meetings. He also helped write and pass the charter for the Town of Hartford. He has been a proud member of the United Brethren Lodge #21 F&AM (Free and Accepted Masons) in White River for 65 years, as was his father and currently his son. He was also a member of the Mount Sinai Shriners in Montpelier.

He is survived by his wife Joyce (Holt) Lovell, his son David Lovell and companion Michele Wilson, his granddaughter Sandy Kempton and her husband Chuck, his great granddaughter Jesee, and great great granddaughter Lilly all of Quechee, VT, his sister Rachel "Betty" Fountain of Montana, and a number of nieces.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday August 13th at 10:00am in the Riverside Cemetery in Woodstock, Vermont

Memorial donations may be made to Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl, P.O. Box 820, Lebanon, NH 03766.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock. An on line guest book can be found at cabotfh.com