Wendolyn Love, 79, Was a Bookkeeper and Artist

Wendolyn Laviscount Love died suddenly on Feb. 2 at the Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge. She was 79.

Wendolyn was born in Detroit, Mich., on June 27, 1924, the eldest of four children born to the Rev. Samuel Leroy Laviscount Sr. and Leafy (Giles) Laviscount. She moved to Boston with her family in October 1929. Wendolyn, better known as Wendy, was five years old; her sister, Merle, was three years old; and sister, Vera, was two years old (stair-step girls). Before Mr. Laviscount could start his busy schedule, he had to comb his three girls' hair because he could do so gently while his wife would bring tears to those girls' eyes.

Her father was called to pastor in Roxbury at the St. Mark Congregational Church by the suggestion of brothers Richard and Reinhardt Neibuhr. Under the Rev. Mr. Laviscount's leadership, St. Mark grew to be one of the leading African-American congregations. Wendolyn flourished as a member of a progressive congregation and under the teachings of her father. She was educated in the Boston public schools and was graduated from Roxbuy Memorial High School. After high school, she attended business school.

Wendolyn's first job was as a dental assistant in the office of Dr. McDonald DDS at 416 Boylston street until Dr. McDonald's retirement. She then returned to business and worked as a bookkeeper. In 1962, she formed La Viscount Enterprises, a bookkeeping service. Her business flourished and acquired an impressive roster of clients including the Addelco Corp. of Needham, the Fenton Shoe Co. of Cambridge, the John J. Roache Co. of Newton Centre, Colonial Motors of West Concord, the Arabian Horse Inn of Sudbury and Project Manna of the Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church, the Rev. Dr. Howard A. McLendon, pastor. She retired in 1986 at the age of 62. However, after two weeks of retirement, she returned to bookkeeping, which was her lifeline. (Her mother, Leafy, was a bookkeeper until she married.) From that time until her death she continued to do bookkeeping. Wendolyn was also an artist who sketched and did oil paintings.

As a young woman, she was a member of the St. Mark Sidewalk Players, who produced the works of the late black playwright Raif Coleman. A close family friend recently said this about Wendolyn, "Wendy's first impression could be that of a spirit as blithe as Lucille Ball." But once you got to know Wendolyn, she was giving, loving, compassionate and possessed an amazing intellect. Her humor and deep faith leaves a deep impression among those of us who knew and loved her. Another friend recently said, "Wendolyn has a heart of gold."

Wendolyn was the mother of six children. Her son, Robert L. Love, predeceased her. She is survived by sons, Edward Charles Williams 3rd, William M. Love Jr. and daughters, the Rev. Wendy Lynne Williams and Marie A. Love, all of Newton; and Christopher (T.J.) Love and his wife, Rose, of Marlboro. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Lisa "Burgess" Joyner, Candace M. DeWolf and Lily Rose Love; and two great-grandchildren as well as many friends, nieces, nephews and cousins from New Jersey, California, Queens, N.Y., Brockton, Martha's Vineyard and Bermuda.

A funeral service was held on Feb. 9 at St. John's Episcopal Church in Newton. All donations in Wendolyn's memory may be made to St. Mark Congregational Church UCC 200 Townsend street, Roxbury, MA 02119.