In memoriam: Roy Lester Love, 1937-2019 ROY LESTER LOVE, who served Portland State as athlete, coach, and athletics administrator for more than three decades, died at his Tigard home on June 17. He was 82 years old. Mr. Love was born in Portland on April 22, 1937, to Roy and Lillian Love. He attended Sellwood Grade School and graduated from Cleveland High School in 1955. He entered Portland State and played baseball for four years, earning all-league and all-district honors while being honored as team captain. He later earned a master’s degree from Oregon State University. In 1962, only three years after his graduation, Mr. Love was named PSU’s head baseball coach. Eight of his teams qualified for post-season play, including the 1962 team, which finished second in the nation at the NAIA level, and the 1967 team, which won the Pacific Coast College Division championship. Mr. Love served as baseball coach until 1974, compiling a 257-215 record, while also spending several seasons as an assistant football coach. In 1975 he was named athletic director, a position he held until 1986. Two years after he stepped down as athletic director, in 1988, he was asked to resume his duties and served another five years. During his years leading the Department of Athletics, Portland State teams won four national championships in volleyball and two in wrestling, five league championships in football, and many other titles in baseball and women’s basketball. Mr. Love spearheaded the University’s move to conference sports for women (Mountain West and Pacific West); football (Western Football Conference); baseball (Northern Pacific and Pac-10 Northern Division); and wrestling (Pac-10). Mr. Love was also the longtime co-director of the popular Metro Baseball Camp at Alpenrose Dairy, where he worked with thousands of the Portland area’s Little League players. After his retirement from Portland State, Mr. Love was involved in fundraising for a variety of projects, including the Ed Warren Fitness Center at Cleveland High School and field lights for three Portland high schools. He was one of the leaders of the Cleveland High School Track and Field Project, co-founder of the Commerce/Cleveland High School Alumni Association, and was the president of the Portland Interscholastic Hall of Fame Association for eight years. He was also president of the Summerfield Golf and Country Club Association in Tigard. Mr. Love was inducted into several halls of fame, including those at Portland State and Cleveland High School, as well as the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. Mr. Love is survived by his wife of 40 years, Arvalene; three stepdaughters, Julie Plato (Bruce); Sharon Scandiffio, and Leann Kjemhus; six grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. He is also survived by his brother, Bill Love (Fran); two nieces; and two grandnephews. A memorial service was held July 12 at Eastmoreland Golf Course. Remembrances may be made to the Commerce/Cleveland Alumni Association or the PIL Hall of Fame. —Doug Swanson —Photograph from Portland State University Archives Digital Gallery 5
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