Jill's Journey: A Run to Remember
4/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Community Engagement
From left: Alan, Vivian and Jill Lovitch in 1998 at Michigan Stadium's Wolverine Plaza, where they have a family brick
Jill Lovitch, a 1991 University of Michigan graduate, will be traveling from New Jersey to run in Sunday's (April 12) Big House 5K: Trail to the Victors as a tribute to her late father, Alan B. Lovitch ('60). Jill will have a crowd of supporters traveling in from across the country to watch her run, including her mom Vivian and her brothers Michael and Jeffrey. Jill lives in Nutley, N.J., and is a business relationship manager in information technology with an insurance company.
The Lovitch family's love affair with Michigan started with Alan and remains strong today. Jill tells about their love and their loss in this special first-person narrative for MGoBlue.com.
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The University of Michigan was everything to my dad, and he passed that on to his children. I know how much he valued his education there, but I also know how much he loved Michigan Athletics. Homecoming trips were planned in February! His job took him back to A2 during the years and he would always visit the Big House. We have bricks in Wolverine Plaza!
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The Big House was my dad's favorite place on campus. When he learned that my class' ('91) commencement was returning to Michigan Stadium, after years of it not being there, he was thrilled. My graduation in the Big House was one of the best days of his life (mine too).
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In 2010, he had his 50-year anniversary weekend and it ended with the tour of the Big House. He was beyond excited. The picture from that day (below) of him kneeling on the 50-yard line hangs everywhere in his house and now mine! He was able to attend the Big Chill outdoor ice hockey game against Michigan State that same year and spoke of it for months and months after returning home.
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My dad was raised in the Bronx and skipped two grades, graduating high school at 16! He actually wanted to be a journalist and was planning to go to NYU. However, he entered the Air Force and it was there that he found his love of aeronautics. U-M's Aeronautical Engineering School is one of the best, and that was how the decision was made.
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He graduated with two degrees in 1960 -- a BSE in aeronautical engineering and a math degree. He moved back to New York but quickly returned to Ann Arbor with my mom, to work and start his master's program. My brother was born at the Women's Hospital in A2, and they lived there for about one year until they returned to N.Y. He went on to earn an MBA in his 50s as he continued his career in aeronautical engineering.
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We all grew up wearing Michigan clothes, having to watch Wolverines football and basketball (at the time hardly on TV!) -- and basically all bleeding blue. My dad made sure of that among many other things. In fact, the amount of "M" shirts/sweatshirts, jackets, etc., he had, well, I can't even count. We used to tease him about it.
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I went to U-M and graduated in 1991. I continue to come back several times a year and see my classmates. We make it a point to meet for homecoming and Memorial Day weekend. It is absolutely home for me, and my friends from U-M are my family.
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In addition to raising his family, my dad also volunteered quite a bit. He was the head of our hometown's office of emergency management, he was a baseball coach when my brothers were young, a Boy Scout leader. He was an EMT, a board member of the temple, and a very active alum. For the Northern New Jersey Alumni Club he was responsible for coordinating the football ticket process and also for many years conducted interviews for the club, for scholarships for accepted students from N.J. The list goes on and on.
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It is unfortunate that I didn't realize all of the things my dad was involved in until his funeral, which was standing room only. When people spoke of all his activities, everything pointed back to U-M. I half joke when I say there was no choice where I was going to college -- none. And for that I am grateful, as I can say those were the best four years of my life.
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This may sound odd, but I feel compelled to share this as well: My dad died suddenly -- not expected at all. It was Memorial Day weekend, and for years my U-M friends and I have been getting together that weekend. I was in A2 and I had just spoken to my dad, who told me he wasn't sure what shirt he wanted but he would call me back after looking through the catalog. I was in the M Den two hours later when I got that awful call.
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I was likely in shock after finding out about my dad's death, but there was some comfort that I was in Ann Arbor, his most favorite place. I then walked around campus stopping at his favorite places that he introduced me to so many years ago. I even laughed when I recalled the phone booth I called him from after buying my first books at Ulrich's freshman year. There is no more phone booth!
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My mom and two brothers will be coming to Ann Arbor to support me. Unfortunately it was not possible for my brothers' families to attend. My mom will be coming from New Jersey. One brother is coming from Baltimore, Maryland, and my other brother from Santa Fe, New Mexico. I hope my siblings can join me in the future as well! In addition, my classmate Jim Stoutjesdyk ('91) is coming in from Dallas, Texas!
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I am coming in from New Jersey to run in the Big House 5K. My friend Marie Whybark (MS '94) lives in A2 and is running with me. She did the run last year as well. I believe that crossing that finish line on the 50-yard line in my dad's favorite place is just one of many happy ways to keep his memory alive.
The Big House 5K: Trail to the Victors presented by Toyota will be held Sunday (April 12) beginning at 8:30 a.m. Registrations will be taken up until Saturday (April 11). Race registrations will benefit six local non-profit organizations: 826 Michigan, Dance Marathon, Project Healthy Schools, Meals on Wheels, Special Olympics and the Ann Arbor YMCA. For more information, visit MGoBlue.com/bighouse5k.
