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In Memory of Erica Lovell

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11-2-81 - 3-27-97

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This web page is in memory of Erica Lovell. She was only 15 years old when she departed from us and went to heaven. Erica was a good daughter, sister and friend to many. Erica was a beautiful blonde haired blue eyed sunshine who always brightened us up when we were down, and was always there for her family and friends. I am her mother my name is Lynn Owens-Jensen, Erica was my first born child, my best friend also. Dennis Lovell is Erica's Daddy, she loved him dearly, along with her brothers and sister. Blake Owens, Jay Lovell, Nowlin Owens, were her younger brothers, and Georgia Lovell was her younger sister. On March 26, l997 Erica was baby-sitting for her stepmother Loretta Lovell who was married to Erica's daddy, while Loretta was purchasing a horse. My daughter Erica lived with me, and her step dad Kevin, and her two brothers Blake and Nowlin. That night which was a Wednesday night and a school night, she asked me if she could spend the night with her Daddy, I tried to talk her out of it because she would be with him the upcoming weekend, which was Easter. I gave into her wishes and her daddy was to take her to school the next morning, at Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia where she was a freshman. I lost my daddy to leukemia on March 26, l980, and I called Erica back a little later that evening to see if she would like to go visit grandpa out at the cemetery. She was through baby sitting so of course she said she would go. I went and picked her and her little brother Nowlin up and we went out to the cemetery to pay our respects. While we were there, as we were leaving Erica looked at a grave which had a picture of a beautiful young girl on it and said "Mom that girl was so pretty and she only lived to be 25, I hope that I live alot longer than that". I assured her that she would and then we left the cemetery and I took her back to her Dad's house. My son and I went on home, not knowing that that would be the last time that we would ever see Erica alive. I got home and had supper and called Erica around 8:00 PM to tell her something, we ended our conversation by saying "I Love You", as we always did when we talked. I had just gone to bed that Wednesday night around 11:00 PM when my phone rang and to my surprise it was Erica's Dad wanting to know if I had seen or talked to Erica, I told him no and asked him Why? He said that Erica and Loretta had left earlier that evening about 9:15 PM to go and see the horse that had been purchased that day, and they had not reached their destination, and a bad wreck had happened on the road that they were taking. I went into hysteria, of course as any mother would, I called both hospitals in town and they would not give me any any information. I called Erica's daddy back and as we were talking the Chaplain from the Dougherty County Police Department came to his door and informed him that our daughter Erica and his wife Loretta had been involved in a bad wreck and his wife Loretta had died at the scene, and our daughter Erica was in very critical condition at the hospital. A 16 year old boy had ran a stop sign and had hit them. I went crazy at that point, I remember screaming & yelling at the top of my lungs, waking my whole house up. We got to the hospital, it seemed like it took forever to get there and I cried and prayed all the way there. When I got there and talked to the doctor's it was not good. They said that my Erica had a massive head injury and they were doing several tests on her to confirm brain death, which they suspected. Time passed and they both came out and gave us the grave news that my only daughter Erica was brain dead, that the tests did confirm that diagnosis. I was overwhelmed with grief, I had just been with her earlier that evening and she had been well and alive. Then to think in just a few hours she had died. I got to see my daughter around 2:00 AM on the morning of March 27, l997, when the doctors pronounced her dead. It was the worst thing that I have ever had to do in my whole entire life, we are not supposed to bury our children yet that was what I was faced with. The doctors approached myself and Erica's Dad about her being an organ donor it was something we had never discussed and I did not know Erica's wishes. We made the decision for Erica's heart, liver, pancreas, and kidney's to be donated. Erica was buried on March 29, l997 in Albany, Georgia at Crown Hill Cemetery. My Erica was a beautiful rosebud, whose life was just beginning to bloom, and cut short in all of it's beauty. Erica loved Pooh Bear, McDonalds Chicken McNuggets, Coca-Cola, & french fries. She was known at school as the peacemaker because she never wanted anyone to have any conflict in their life. Erica's family had just gotten the opportunity to meet her liver recipient Jeremiah Bell, who is from Bradenton, Florida. It was an awesome experience to meet him and his family. He destroyed his liver by drinking a concoction of poisonous mushrooms and orange juice on a misguided attempt to get high. The mushrooms he ingested were the poisonous kind the "death cap" mushroom. He was hours away from death in a coma, with liver failure when he received Erica's liver on March 28, l997. We have also had the honor of meeting Ira Wilkins, Erica's Pancreas/Kidney recipient, this was a double transplant. Ira is from Atlanta, GA, and he is doing well. He is back at work now, and traveling. I miss you my Erica every day that goes by, it never gets any easier dealing with your sudden death. It has made me appreciate life and look at life in a totally different way than I used to. I know that I will see my daughter again in heaven, that will be such a sweet day. Rest in peace my baby girl only for awhile, for some sweet day we will both be wearing a smile, Love Mom. I Love You Erica for all eternity, the love and memories of you that I hold close to me in my heart will last until we meet again.

Lynn Owens-Jensen,
Mom also to Blake Owens & Nowlin Owens

 Letters from Erica's Friends
 Erica's Favorite Songs
 More Photo's of Erica
 Jeremiah Bell- Erica's Liver Recipient
 Ira Wilkins- Erica's Pancreas/Kidney Recipient
 Awards
 Erica's Pooh Page
 Erica's Obituary
 Apply For Erica's Award
 Web Rings This Site Belongs To

Other Favorite Sites:

 Donor Mom's

 My Mom Is A Survivor

 WWAngelsWeb Ring

 Transplant America

 Virtual Memorials

            

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lynnjensen@mchsi.com

This beautiful banner was made for Erica's site by Saralyn Smith. Thank You so much.

In Memory of Kevin Joseph Owens

4/23/1959 - 4/11/2003

It has taken me six months to be able to write this. I met Kevin back in 1985, when we first met I knew it was love at first sight. They always say that you have one love of your life, well I know that Kevin was mine. Kevin & I had a magic relationship, I know that Kevin loved me as much as I loved him. Kevin & I married on 2/19/1986, Erica was 4 then, Kevin loved Erica as if she was his own daughter, they had a very special relationship. Kevin gave me two of the greatest gifts of my life our two sons. Kevin Blake Owens was born on 11/4/1987, Kevin was so proud of his first child, his first born son! Blake looks just like Kevin, it scares me sometimes how much they favor each other. Then unexpectedly I was pregnant with Nowlin, he was born on 8/8/1992. Kevin & I again were blessed with another son. Nowlin looks like me! I know that Kevin's two son's & Erica were his life. After we lost Erica things just fell apart with me, I went into a depression and Kevin really cared for me during this time, but I guess I withdrew and went a little crazy, & rejected his love for me. I really still loved him, but things just happened for the worst. Kevin & I divorced, but I truly believe that we never stopped loving each other. I remarried & he remarried, but we kept our friendship going up until the end. My husband Todd, & Kevin grew to be good friends, Todd would go over & visit with Kevin. Todd thought Kevin, was a great guy. You just couldn't help but love Kevin, he had an infectious personality. Kevin was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung cancer that had spread to the brain & bone in February of 2002. Besides Erica's death this was the hardest news that I had to live with. Kevin, had been with me during some of the best times of my life and thru some of the worst times of my life, and when this happened to him I felt like I could not help him through this bad time as I wanted to. I talked to him most every day. I admired his courage, he was a fighter. Even if he felt the worst, he would never show it. I miss you Kevin, I will love you forever. The last thing Kevin told me was Lynn, I love you, the night he was in intensive care before he was put on the ventilator. I will always remember these words & what a special person that Kevin was to me & the two greatest gifts that he gave me. Rest in Peace Kevin, me & the boys & Todd will love you & remember you, until we see you again. Love Forever, Lynn

In Memory of Ann McClung

7/18/1940 - 11/27/2001

I recently lost a dear friend & coworker of mine to cancer. Her name was Ann McClung. I only worked with her for about a year but it was such an honor to work with her each day. "Miss Ann" never missed a beat, she was always at work even when taking her chemotherapy & radiation. She reminded me of my own Mother who I lost to cancer back in 1980. Ann was one of the most courageous women I have ever met. She always kept a smile on her face, and was so upbeat. She had a great love for her family, her husband Bill, son Billy, daughter Debbie, & grandchildren Matt & Nicholas, and above all the Lord. Miss Ann I miss you terribly each day, not seeing you here physically at work. Your courage & determination got me through alot of my down days. Rest in Peace my dear friend. I Love You. Lynn

I want to thank Todd Jensen for all the support he has given me in the loss of my daughter. He has been there for me to wipe away all of my tears. Todd, I believe that Erica sent you to me because she always wanted her Mom to be happy. I know you & her would have been big buddys!!. I love you Todd forever. Lynn