THOMAS LOVEJOY III

About

Millbrook School Yale University

THOMAS LOVEJOY Obituary

Thomas Eugene Lovejoy III
Passed away peacefully on Christmas morning, December 25, 2021 at home in McLean, VA surrounded by family, at the age of 80. He leaves behind three daughters, Elizabeth P. Lovejoy of Washington, DC, Katherine L. Petty of Telluride, CO and Anne L. Jenkins of Arlington, VA. He is also survived by his six treasured grandchildren, Madeline, Georgina, Annie, Emily, Grace and Sam; his sons-in-law David B. Petty and John C. Jenkins, and Elizabeth's partner Timothy B. Reed. He was notably a graduate of the Millbrook School in Millbrook NY (1959), earned his bachelor's degree in biology from Yale College (1964) and also his Ph.D. in biology from Yale University (1971). Dr. Lovejoy was a world-renowned conservation biologist, dubbed "The Godfather of Biodiversity" by many, who began his career banding birds in the Amazon rainforest. Among his outstanding accomplishments, he created the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project in Manaus, Brazil in 1978, which trained generations of conservation biology experts and advocates for over 40 years. His tireless efforts on other fronts have inspired legions of supporters among scientists, politicians, celebrities, journalists and countless others around the globe. In 2018, he founded the Amazon Biodiversity Center, a 501c3 non-profit, to sustain the forest fragments project and carry on his world-changing advocacy. He was passionate about good food and wine and often presented his more serious agenda to colleagues with a delicious meal at his beloved, historic home, Drover's Rest. His playful spirit and love of a good joke or prank will live on with his family and friends. A memorial will be held at a future date. In lieu flowers, donations can be made to the Amazon Biodiversity Center online at https://www.amazonbiodiversitycenter.org/donate or via mail to Amazon Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 96503, PMB 42410, Washington, DC 20090-6503. For more information, contact Matt Grason at [email protected], or 202-827-5222.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Washington Post on Dec. 30, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for THOMAS LOVEJOY

5 Entries

Charles Fleischmann

May 18, 2022

Although I had not touched base with Tom for years, I feel a hole in the small universe of people who I admire and will miss not being able to reach out to.
Tom was part of my misspent youth and I am grateful for it. Tales from Belem and going up the Amazon in search of St Louis Encephalitis as well as dinners, croquet and rainwater madeira while I was at Penn gave me something to dine out with ever since.
My Mother was on several boards and sometimes chose to serve if she knew that Tom was on that particular board - it would be a functional one and probably fun too.
My condolences to all his family. He will be missed.
Charles Fleischmann

Brooks Yeager

January 15, 2022

Tom was a gentle, kind and generous man, and at the same time a fierce advocate for the natural world. Also someone who would go out of his way to help a friend, or perhaps just an acquaintance in whom saw a bit of promise. In 2005, when I was making a somewhat unhappy exit from WWF, he called out of the blue. I still remember his words: "Brooks, is it possible you could use a place to work from, downtown?" The answer was yes, and I had the unexpected opportunity work with him at the Heinz Center for a little more than a year. He was, among other things, a wonderful mentor who dispensed ideas and wisdom, but not constantly -- rather, just at those moments when he saw that his intervention was really needed. I miss him.

Jane Alexander

January 5, 2022

I was eternally grateful to Tom when I became Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts under Clinton and the Republicans in congress worked tirelessly to shut us down. One evening at a big party I was being grilled by Washington pundits about the meaning of art; flustered, I came up with a puerile response causing the five of them to rise from their chairs and leave me to my stupidity. A man in a smart bowtie and amused smile came over and whispered in my ear "let me take you to lunch next week." Tom became my mentor from then on in the ways of politics and in the lessons of biodiversity and conservation, which has become my life's work today. He meant the world to me as he did to everyone who ever met him and millions who never will meet him but have absorbed his messages to the world. Save the birds and you begin to save the planet for one. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Frank Titus

December 30, 2021

RIP Tom.

December 30, 2021

Please accept my deepest sympathy for your loss. May God comfort you and give you peace during this time of grief.

Showing 1 - 5 of 5 results