Capt. James A. Lovell, Jr., USN (Ret)'s Obituary
He will always be known for “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” Captain James A. Lovell, Jr., USN (RET.), passed away peacefully on August 7, 2025, in Lake Forest, Illinois, surrounded by family. He was 97.
“Jim” Lovell was born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 25, 1928, to James Lovell, Sr., and Blanche Lovell (Masek). Following his father’s passing, his mother raised him in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he attended Juneau High School. During his childhood, Jim spent time participating in Boy Scouts, earning his Eagle Scout, and in a bit of foreshadowing, took up the hobby of launching rocket models in the street of his neighborhood.
Upon High School graduation, Jim attended the University of Wisconsin through the Holloway Plan, a naval recruitment scholarship to attract new officers and pilots post WWII. During the program’s second year, Jim was accepted for admission to the United States Naval Academy, where he earned an aeronautical engineering degree, Class of 1952. Hours after graduation, Jim married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn Gerlach at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Annapolis, Maryland on June 6, 1952.
Jim’s naval career started out in flight training, then joined Composite Squadron 3 at Moffett Field, California. He was assigned to “Team Jig,” an all-night, all weather jet fighter squadron deployed on the carrier, USS Shangri-La. Following his tour of duty, Lovell entered Class 20 at the Navy Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland in 1958. He would graduate #1 in his class and became Project Manager for the Navy’s new fighter jet, the F4H Phantom.
Lovell’s early interest in rocket science paid off when he was selected to join NASA on September 17, 1962, as part of “Group 2” of astronauts for the Gemini and Apollo programs. Lovell spent 11 years with NASA making four space flights: Gemini 7, a two-week orbital mission to test human endurance in space and rendezvous with another spacecraft; Gemini 12, to prove the feasibility of working outside a spacecraft; Apollo 8, man’s first flight to the moon; and Apollo 13, NASA’s third lunar landing mission that was aborted due to an oxygen tank explosion in route to the moon. The flight proved good leadership and teamwork turned an almost certain catastrophe into a successful recovery. After his final space flight, Jim graduated from Harvard’s Advanced Management Program in 1971 and served eight years as the President’s consultant on Physical Fitness & Sports.
Lovell retired from NASA and as a NAVY Captain on March 1, 1973. He had accumulated almost 8,000 flight hours, including 713 hours in space, the most experienced astronaut at the time. He received numerous honors and awards including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Navy’s Distinguished Service Medal, two Navy Distinguished Flying Crosses, NASA’s Distinguished and Exceptional Service Medals, Distinguished Eagle Scout, Distinguished Graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and even an Emmy Award for Apollo 8’s broadcast from the moon on Christmas Eve, 1968.
Lovell’s extraordinary career continued after NASA. Not only did he hold numerous executive positions and served on several boards, he co-authored the book, Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13; served as consultant on the making of Ron Howard’s movie, Apollo 13, in which actor Tom Hanks portrayed Jim; served as Chairman for the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation; opened Lovell’s of Lake Forest, a restaurant he and his son, Jay started; and made numerous motivational and space related speeches around the world. Two special legacies Lovell was honored with during his life were the naming of the Captain James A. Lovell, Jr. Federal Health Center in Great Lakes, Illinois and having Mount Marilyn, a mountain on the moon he named after his wife, officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
When Jim had free time, he enjoyed flying one of his many private airplanes; traveling with Marilyn around the world and to their lake house in Horseshoe Bay, Texas; and spending time with his 4 children, 11 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.
Jim is survived by his children Barbara Harrison (Ken), James Lovell III (Darice), Susan Lovell, Jeffrey Lovell (Annie); grandchildren Lauren Harrison (Matt Pataky), Scott Harrison (Katie), Caroline Harrison (Nick D’Addario); Emily Lovell, Katie Lovell, Thomas Lovell Williams, Jim Williams, John Williams (Mara), Allie Swanson (Brian), Marilyn Lovell, James Lovell; and great grandchildren Jackson and Nico Pataky, Parker, Bennett and Ellie Harrison, Fritz D’Addario, Henry and Warren Swanson and John Arthur Williams.
Preceding him in eternal life are Jim’s wife of 71 years, Marilyn Lillie Lovell, parents James Lovell, Sr., and Blanche Lovell (Masek). Jim had no siblings.
The Lovell family would like to recognize with gratitude Jim’s caregivers Rosy Rea and Maria Rogers as well as his incredible medical team who provided exceptional care and support.
Captain Lovell will be laid to rest next to Marilyn at the US Naval Academy following a private military memorial service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Captain James A. Lovell, Jr. to:
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation:
https://www.astronautscholarship.org/ (Donate to the James A. Lovell Family Fund)
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