Lee Loveridge, 67, passed away on Friday, January 6, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, after a hard-fought and unexpected battle. Lee was born on December 28, 1950, to Donna and Collin Loveridge in Moab, Utah. She was one of four children and the only girl.
Both sides of her family had a long history in Southeastern Utah. The Loveridges settled in the valley in 1883 and played a pivotal role in Moab’s politics, helping to create initiatives to build the town’s first courthouse and the construction of the Dewey Bridge, and were instrumental in creating the Moab Irrigation Company and much more, and for a short time even had one of the largest cattle operations in this part of the state.
Lee didn’t play a role in politics, but despite this, she shared the same love for this area as her ancestors did. She spent much of her time exploring the remote deserts, and most her youth was spent on horseback riding throughout this amazing landscape with her good friends.
She was a child of the 1960s, and a bit of a rebel with a wild side and a taste for adventure. She liked unique people and had a soft side for outlaw types. She always rooted for the underdog, and had a strong and unwavering moral compass and always spoke up for what she thought was right.
She worked at Atlas Minerals and World Famous Woody’s Tavern; she also seismographed for several companies in the 1970s, and in her later years, worked as a driver for Airborne Express delivering packages from Moab to Bluff.
But mostly she was a devoted mother who would take in any stray child that needed a home or love. She did so much for so many with very few resources, and touched a lot of lives. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for anyone.
She was known for her generosity, beautiful smile, sense of humor, quick wit, and at times her blunt honesty and sharp tongue. People always came to Lee for advice because they knew they would hear truth.
Lee is survived by her ex-husband, Alan Dooley; daughter, Matte (Dooley) Johnston; son, Caleb Dooley; adopted son, Sloan Dooley; grandchildren, Ashlyn and Brynlee Dooley and Nevaeh Johnston; brothers, Kim and Charles; and numerous close relatives and friends. Lee was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Corky Loveridge.
The Celebration of Life services will be held this Saturday, January 21, at the Moab Valley Inn Conference Center at 1 p.m. This will be an informal gathering where we will celebrate the life of a caring and wonderful woman. There will be a formal eulogy and her grandchildren will be singing her favorite song, Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” Then there will be time to say goodbyes, share stories and memories. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made.
The family wishes to extend their gratitude to all of the friends and family for their outpouring of kindness in this difficult time. Also all of the nurses, surgeons, and doctors at St. Mary’s Hospital who did all they could in her final days.
