She had been writing her “Over the Back Fence” column in The Newtown Bee once a week for at least 40 years. She had spent 60 years in community journalism, starting out covering town news for The Newtown Bee and the Bridgeport Post, now the Connecticut Post. She covered Stevenson News for The Bee before her children were born. Mrs Loveland went on to cover Stepney-Monroe and then for Monroe exclusively, where she and her family lived.

It was Bee publisher Paul Smith who asked her to write “Over the Back Fence,” after reading a  Christmas column she had written for the paper.

In a recent interview with The Bee, Mrs Loveland said she agreed to write it “for a little while,” and the little while became more than 40 years. Her column received the Best Local Column award in 1958 from the New England Weekly Press Association.

Her Bee readers loved her column, and they missed it on those rare occasions when it did not run. Her fans also would call her at her home to ask about a recipe that might have appeared in a column or to talk about something pertaining to nature, a frequent topic. 

Mrs Loveland is survived by two sons, Edwin of New Jersey and David and wife, Joy, of Chester, Vt.; three daughters, Susan Cragin of Newtown, Wendy Loveland of Harwinton, and Laurie Loveland of Sudbury, Vt.; five grandchildren, Scott Yeager of Tolland, Stacie Gordon of Wethersfield, Benjamin and Megan Wishneski of Harwinton, and Jessica Loveland of Woodbury; five step-siblings in eastern Connecticut; and several cousins. She was predeceased by her husband in 1982.

Active in Monroe community affairs, she served on the Board of Education, Monroe Scholarship Committee, American Field Service, and was a founding member of the Monroe Historical Society. A member of Monroe Congregational Church, she was a Sunday school superintendent there. She was also an early member of the Monroe Mothers Club, which started kindergarten in the Monroe School System. She was an early supporter of the first Monroe Public Library, formation of the Monroe Emergency Medical Service, and a booster for WMNR radio and countless other community efforts. She received several honors, including the “Golden Book of Deeds” from the Monroe Exchange Club and Distinguished Service Award from the Monroe Town Council in 1985. In Southbury Mrs Loveland was a member of the Heritage Village Ambulance Association.

A funeral service took place April 8 at Monroe Congregational Church, Route 111, Monroe Center. Burial followed in Monroe Center Cemetery.

Arrangements were by Carpino Funeral Home, 750 Main Street South, Southbury. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Monroe Historical Society, PO Box 212, Monroe, CT 06468 or Heritage Village Ambulance Association, PO Box 2045, Southbury, CT 06488.

The Newtown Bee                                                 April 11, 2003