Lovetta June Pownell, 85, Minot and formerly of Cando died on Friday, September 14, 2012 in a Velva nursing home.

Lovetta was born on June 6, 1927 in Considine , ND to Cecil and Mary (Leppard) Matthews. She was the eldest of six children who were reared by their mother while their father served for thirty-seven years in the military with several overseas assignments. When Lovetta was sixteen years old she started her career as a telephone operator for the Cando Telephone Company.

Lovetta married Otis Eugene Pownell on May 3, 1947 in Leeds, ND. They made their home on a farm 10 miles west of Cando for about four years before moving into Cando and then to Minot in 1965. Lovetta was employed at Trinity Medical Center and Northwest Clinic as a switchboard operator and Otis was employed by Wurgler Painting, Huwe House Moving, then as a civil service employee at Minot Air Force Base. Otis died on October 31, 1972. Lovetta retired in 1991 as the communications supervisor for Trinity Medical Center. She has continued to make her home in Minot, most recently at the The Wellington and Edgewood Vista Memory Care Unit prior to moving to the Souris Valley Care Center in Velva a few weeks ago.

Lovetta was a member of the First Assembly of God, Minot. She especially enjoyed family vacations that took them to Seattle, St. Louis, Glacier National Park, the Grand Canyon, Europe, Israel and Hawaii. Many of the vacations and her retirement years included time spent with family and friends.

Lovetta's loving family includes her daughters: Otislene "Odie" (Ron) Alderman of Minot, Donaldlene "Dee" (Stan) Hayes of Sioux Falls, SD and Arlene (Chris) Gallup of Antioch, CA; grandchildren: Roberta Hayes Zubke, Abigail Gallup Crosby, Chip, Dale, Bridget, Eric and Faith Gallup; great grandchildren: Kathyn Marie Joye and Keilarah Roshayn Elise Zubke; brothers: Robert (Marge) Matthews of Arnold, Maryland and Roland (Clarice) Matthews of Brinsmade, ND and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Lovetta was preceded in death by her parents, husband and siblings: Phyllis (John) Fak, Helen "Punky" (Virgil) Albers and Virgil (Liz) Matthews.

A Celebration of the Life of Lovetta Pownell will be on Friday, September 21, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of Thomas Family Funeral Home - Minot.
Interment will be in Rosehill Memorial Park - Minot.
Visitation: Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home - Minot.