Thelma Williams Lovette was the fifth of eleven children born to the late Alice and Henry Williams, in the Pittsburgh Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania died May 24, 2014 in Mesa, AZ at the age of 98. She was a longtime civic, political, and civil rights activist.
Mrs. Lovette graduated from Schenley High School in 1934. In 1966 she was hired by Mercy Hospital as the hospital’s first black social worker and subsequently earned the Masters of Social Work Degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
Mrs. Lovette served as a past President of the Hill District Community Development Corporation and was appointed to the City Planning Commission for the City of Pittsburgh. Other organizational memberships included the NAACP (Golden Heritage Life Member); Hill District Chapter of the AARP; and the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women (Pittsburgh Club).
Her political involvement included serving as an elected Committee Woman for over 35 years; her participation in the 1963 March on Washington; membership in the League of Women Voters; and the Federation of Democratic Women. In 1984, she was elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and served as a floor whip for the Pennsylvania delegation.
A woman of faith, Mrs. Lovette was a member of the Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church where she served as a trustee and taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School for many years.
Mrs. Lovette was the first woman to serve on both the board of the Hill District’s Centre YMCA and the board of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh. Among her many recognitions was being selected as one 5,500 “community heroes” throughout the United States to participate as a torchbearer in the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay. To honor her lifelong dedication to the community, in April 2012, the 44,000 square foot YMCA on Centre Avenue was named the Thelma Lovette YMCA.
Loved by many, Mrs. Lovette is survived by her daughter Thelma Lovette Morris; son-in-law Dr. Gregory Morris; grandchildren Gregory Morris, Jr., Leah Morris, and Esther (Rev. Paul) Sheppard; her beloved great grandchildren Nola Morris and Justin Sheppard; sisters Edith Johnson, Annie Carter, Lois (Earl) Hord; and a host of relatives and friends.
A memorial service will be held Friday, August 1, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. at the Thelma Lovette YMCA 2114 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested gifts to the Thelma Lovette YMCA.
Dear Thelma: Your mom was indeed a pillar in society and an anchor in your family. Living to be 98 was a great achievement because life is a wonderful gift. I genuinely regret your loss. No one better than God, understands the depth of your pain and can help you cope with your disquieting thoughts. Thus, I hope that in due time, you and your family receive God’s peace that excels all thought, so that it will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus. God is love and he cares for all his creatures; he would never bring us suffering. He is called the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation. Consequently, may the resurrection hope in the new world, where mankind will not be subject to accidents, sickness, and death bring you emotional support; and knowing that “Jehovah is near to those that are broken at heart, and those who are crushed in spirit he saves”. (Psalm 34:18; John 6:40)