Jeff B. Love

Jeff was born on the 4th of October 1949, in Houston to the late Ben and Margaret Love. He earned a B.A. degree from Vanderbilt University, where he broke three all-time Vanderbilt hitting records and was also on the SEC Academic First Team. Thereafter, he received his JD from the University of Texas School of Law and subsequently was the youngest graduate in the Law School’s history to serve as National President of the Law School Alumni Association.

Jeff was very active in civic and charitable undertakings including service on the Board and Executive Committee of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, as a National Trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and on the Boards of Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation (of which he was a past Chair), Greater Houston Partnership, UT Health, Memorial Hermann Foundation and Healthcare Community Benefit Corporation, and St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital.

Jeff served as Honorary Consul General of Sweden in Texas for six years and for his service was initiated into the Royal Order of the Seraphim--the highest order of Swedish knighthood--by King Carl XVI Gustaf in 1989.

Jeff served on the TCB/JPMorgan Chase Houston Regional Advisory Board and as Chairman of its Board Nominating Committee and on the Board of Fred Jones Capital Corporation.

Jeff was a recipient of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity’s Distinguished Alumnus Award and served as a National Trustee of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity Foundation. Jeff was the recipient of the “Outstanding Contribution to Education Award” given by the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association of Greater Houston; was an Honoree at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs Dinner, the Boys & Girls National Trustees Dinner, the Children’s Scholarship Ball of the Jewish Community Center, Family Service Center, and Child Advocates.

Jeff received the “Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award,” the first recipient not to attend The University of Texas as an undergraduate, and was selected for the Five Outstanding Young Houstonians Award and the Five Outstanding Young Texans Award.

Jeff joined the law firm of Locke Lord in 1976 upon graduation from UT Law School, and there he remained for 47 years, his entire professional career. While there, he served for twenty years as Chairman of the Practice Development Committee, Vice Chairman of the Firm, Managing Partner of the Houston Office, Chairman of the Houston Office, and was named Senior Partner in 2018. He was a consummate professional, sedulous worker, and loved his colleagues and clients with his whole heart.

Jeff was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather (aka “Bubba”) and was as kind and gentlemanly to his family as he was in public life.

He coached his son Benton in baseball for many years, culminating in the Post Oak Little League championship in 1991. His son worshiped him even if he didn’t always say so, and pledged Phi at Vanderbilt to be just like his father.

Jeff broke many speeding laws to attend every volleyball game his daughter Elizabeth played in at Kinkaid and cheered loudly from the sidelines--for his daughter and her teammates alike. He was her doubles tennis partner for many years and number one supporter in life. His work ethic inspired her to pursue a Ph.D. and to never give up in the face of adversity.

He treated his son-in-law and daughter-in-law with the same love and grace as his own children. He played golf every Sunday with his son-in-law Adam and frequently traded photos and Astros banter with his daughter-in-law Ashlee.

Jeff was the best “Bubba” to his grandchildren. He came by daily to see them on his way home from work. His love for them was infectious, and they loved him just as deeply. He often threw baseballs with them in the backyard—wearing a full business suit even in the depths of summer.

He was a model husband to his wife Kathy, who loved him deeply, and to whom he was married for over 50 years. He taught us all what it means to be a caring and devoted spouse.

Jeff Love was truly one-of-a-kind and zealously cultivated his benign eccentricities. He had a prodigious vocabulary and was frequently accused of being a sesquipedalian, wielding obscure Latin and Anglo-Saxon words to the confusion and wonder of his friends and colleagues. He was an epistolary master nonpareil, composing prolific volumes of notes and emails--often bcc’ing his friends and family on correspondence. He holds the record as the world’s last Blackberry user. A faithful Christian, he spent many years in his yellow swim trunks and SPF 4 deifying the sun. He was an avid fan of the Houston Astros for 62 years and a season ticket-holder for 27 years, finally realizing his long-delayed spizzerinctum in 2017 and 2022 after wrenching heart-breaks in 1980 and 1986. He enthusiastically pursued amateur portrait photography, always lugging around large Ziploc bags full of disposable Kodaks. Gatorade was his drink of choice, as he was otherwise abstemious, and he maintained an Apollonian diet and workout regimen through his final days. In a suit or in khakis, he never wore a shirt that wasn’t white.

Most of all Jeff Love was the ultimate life enhancer who touched every single person he met. He made it his life’s mission to make others feel special, and he accomplished it thousands of times over. He was a great listener and had an eidetic memory for birthdays, anniversaries, and accomplishments. He taught us all how to love and appreciate others, and we hope that we can all live more like Jeff Love did.

He is survived by his beloved spouse, Kathy, by his treasured son, Benton Love and his wife, Ashlee, and their two children, John Benton Love (“Johnny”) and Charlotte Beth Love, and by his cherished daughter, Dr. Elizabeth Love Ross, and her husband, Adam, and their two children, James Jeffrey Ross and Peyton Love Ross.

He is also survived by his sister, Jan Love Simmons, her spouse, Tom Simmons and his niece, Jennie Simmons and his nephew, Charles Simmons. He is also survived by his brother-in-law John Brownlee, his spouse Linda and his nephews Scott Brownlee and Steven Brownlee. He is preceded in death by his sister, Julie Love.

Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Mr. Love during a memorial reception to be held from half-past six o’clock until half-past eight o’clock in the evening, on Monday, the 6th of November in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A memorial service will be conducted at three o’clock in the afternoon on Tuesday, the 7th of November, in the sanctuary of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer Road in Houston. For those unable to attend the service in person, virtual attendance may be accessed by selecting the "Join Livestream" icon below under the service section.

Immediately following, all are invited to a reception at a venue to be announced during the service.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers during Tuesday service are John B. Beckworth, John H. Brownlee, Jamal Daniel, James F. Erwin, Edwin H. Frank III, L. Robin French III, Martyn E. Goossen, Ben A. Guill, William D. Gutermuth, Fred J. Hall, J. Graham Hill, John B. “Thad” Hill III, Walter M. Mischer, Leonard H. Paton, Harry J. Phillips, Jr., Adam C. Ross, Omar A. Sawaf, Thomas M. Simmons, David F. Taylor, Peter S. Wareing, and Marcus A. Watts.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030, The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, by visiting www.bgca.org, the Memorial Hermann Foundation, 929 Gessner Road, Suite 2650, Houston, TX 77024 or University of Texas Health Science Center, 6410 Fannin St., Houston, TX 77030.