Lovec

The name Lovec originated in Yugoslavia, Lovec was first spelled Zgavec, but it was changed when Joseph (Joe) Lovec came to America so it was easier to pronounce. Joe was born on December 27, 1886, in Trieste Yugoslavia. His parents were Steven and Frances Lovec, Joe grew up on his father’s farm. At the age of 18, he immigrated to America. He worked at the coal mines in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. In 1915 Joe then moved to Mill Iron in Montana, where he homesteaded. Mary Vales was born on January 17, 1887, in Trieste, Yugoslavia. Her parents were Vincent and Anne Vales. She immigrated to America when she was 17, and she lived in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. She married Andrew Ogrince, and they had four children who were Edward, Cecelia, Rudy, Joseph. Andrew died in November 1914, and her and the children homesteaded near Mill Iron. Joseph Lovec and Mary were united and got married on July 15, 1915. Joseph took Mary’s four children and gave them his own name. Joe and Mary had four children who were Mary, Emil, Odes, and Helen.

Edward was the oldest child, he married Maxine Lockwood in Miles City. They had four children. Gary, Shirlee, Darlene, and Lyle. Cecelia was the second oldest, she married John Zupanik in Baker. Cecelia and John first lived on the Emerson Place then moved to John’s homestead, after that they moved to the old Varner place. They had two children, Patricia and William, and they then lived in Baker. Rudy moved to Montana when he was 3 years old with his mother and his siblings. He worked on his father’s homestead till June 19, 1934, and he married Fern. They moved to Camp Crook to work for Harry Holman. Rudy carried the mail from Ekalaka to Camp Crook. They moved around to a bunch of places and returned to Ekalaka. Rudy managed the Enco Gas Station for about a year and Fern operated the variety store untill Rudy went to work for the U.S. Government at the ASCA Office. They had four boys, Jack, Dennis, Ted, and Willis. Joseph joined the CCCs and worked at many different places. On July 1939 he married Agnes, and they had three children Wilma, Evert, and Richard. Mary was born on October 16, 1916, she died at the age of 15 of an appendicitis. Emil joined the CCC and later enlisted in the Air Force. On July 9, 1944 he married Eula, she was born on July 7, 1924. Emil and Eula had 8 children, Judy, Mary, Michael, Patricia, Carla, Emily, Steven, and Sandra. They were raised on Joseph Lovec’s homestead. Odes is the second youngest. He worked on the homestead until he moved to Baker and was employed at MDU. He then married Orva and they had three children Carol (Diane), Connie and Tamera. Helen is the youngest and she was the only child of Joseph and Mary to graduate from high school. On May 1942, she married Francis Rogete and they had three children Anthony, Ronald and Randall. Helen’s second husband was James Rinehart and she had one child Rocky. She then married Lee and moved to Gardnerville, Nevada.

This article is written by Camryn Collins Joe’s great great granddaughter. His son Emil Lovec’s daughter Patricia is my grandmother. Patricia Lovec is my father's mother, my father is Brock Collins.