A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Lovingood was preceded in death by his parents Judge Samuel Lovingood and Margaret Allison Lovingood. He was a National Honor Society graduate of Birmingham’s West End High School, a football team Captain, vice president of the Student Body and his Senior Class, a member of the Methodist Church and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was a Free and Accepted Mason having been raised to third degree Master Mason in August of 1957. Working his way through college, he graduated from the University of Alabama with the degree BSEE in electrical engineering in 1958. At Alabama, he was inducted into national engineering honor societies Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu, mathematical honor society Pi Mu Epsilon and engineering fraternity Theta Tau. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a MS degree and from the University of Alabama with a Ph.D. degree in mathematics.
Before moving to Huntsville in 1962, Dr. Lovingood worked at The Martin Company in Orlando, Florida and Minneapolis-Honeywell in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a part time assistant professor in the mathematics department at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Dr. Lovingood retired from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1988 after 25 ½ years of service where he was a charter member of the Federal Senior Executive Service and served in several senior executive positions in engineering management. He retired as Associate Director, Engineering and Propulsion. He played key roles in the design, test and manufacturing of the Apollo/Saturn launch vehicles, Skylab, the Space Shuttle and numerous other NASA space systems. He was awarded two NASA Exceptional Service Medals for his work on the Space Shuttle Program in 1981 and the Apollo/Skylab Program in 1973. In addition, he was awarded the Key to the City of Birmingham and was recognized as West End High School Distinguished Alumnus in 1982. He was named a Distinguished Fellow of the College of Engineering at the University of Alabama in 1997.
Dr. Lovingood also retired from Thiokol Corporation’s Huntsville Division where he had served as Director of Engineering and Research. He was the author of numerous technical papers in the fields of engineering and mathematics. In addition, the Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Magazine published his work concerning the life of his ancestor, American Revolution patriot Harmon Lovingood, entitled – “Herman Liebengut: Another Son of Ulrich Liebengut.”
He enjoyed fishing, water skiing, hunting and amateur sports. He was active in PTA and Booster Club activities in Huntsville schools in the 1960s and 1970s, when he coached YMCA football and baseball teams. During this time, he served on the Central YMCA Board of Directors. An avid reader, he enjoyed studies in history, psychology, philosophy and religion. In retirement, he and his wife, Juanita, relaxed at their residence in rural Madison County, then later in Huntsville, where genealogy, gardening and reading were primary leisure pursuits.
He is survived by his wife, Juanita H. Lovingood; a son, Judson Samuel Lovingood and wife Alyson of Johns Creek, GA; two daughters, Mary Beth Adams and husband John of Decatur, AL and Lee Ann Perkins and husband Mike of Birmingham, AL; eight grandchildren, John Randolph Adams, Jr. (Courtney), Samuel Bennett Adams (Christen), Mary Margaret Adams Ingram (Kris), Sarah Lovingood Adams Neill (Ben), Judson Preston Lovingood (Xania), Samuel Maxwell Lovingood, Judge Trammell Lovingood and John Symon Lovingood; and eight great grandchildren.
A private graveside service was held on May 7, 2021 at Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham with Johns-Ridout’s Elmwood Chapel Directing.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.johnsridoutselmwoodchapel.com for the Lovingood family.
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