Latham Ovens, 77

LEE, Mass. — Latham Edward Ovens, of Lee, Mass., died on September 18, 2017, after a short illness. He was 77 years old.

Ed is survived by his wife of 51 years, Shirley (Dewkett) Ovens; their son, Michael Ovens and his wife Jessica of Henderson, Nev.; his grandchildren, Hannah, Avery, Shane and Rylie; and his brother-in-law Don Duquette and his wife Wendelyn and their children.

Ed was born on November 4, 1939, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Latham Charles and Elizabeth Mary Quinlan Ovens. He spent his early years in Cincinnati and Hollywood, California. Later, the family moved to Westchester County, N.Y., where he graduated from White Plains High School in 1957. 

He served in the Coast Guard for several years before settling in New York City, where he worked in the charts department of Billboard Magazine. He loved his weekly calls to Casey Kasem with the week’s top 100 songs. Ready for a quieter life, he moved to the Berkshires where he met Shirley, the love of his life. He worked at Kimberly Clark and Schweitzer-Mauduit retiring in 2002 after over 40 years of service.

A lifelong sports fan, he enthusiastically followed his beloved teams, first the New York Giants, New York Rangers and Brooklyn Dodgers then his adopted team, the Boston Red Sox. He took immense pride in watching his son excel in local football and baseball which eventually lead to his career as a varsity high school coach. 

He will forever be remembered for his sharp wit, ready smile, kindness and generosity. 

Funeral notice: A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 23, 2017, at Kelly Funeral Home in Lee, Mass. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Ed's life. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Lee Youth Football in care of Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main Street, Lee MA 01238.