Lloyd Lillie

Lloyd Lillie formerly of Newton, passed away Sunday, 23 Feb 2020 at the age of 87 of complications from pneumonia. 

He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years Barbara (Bailey) Lillie, his daughters Nina Lillie LeDoyt, Lisa Taylor, his son-in-laws Timothy Taylor, Bruce LeDoyt, Stepbrother Thomas Scanlan, his 3 granddaughters Lillie, Samantha and Cassandra, and daughter in law Coleen Smith.

Born in Washington DC and raised in Tacoma Park, MD, his love of art was encouraged at an early age by family members.  “Growing up with my grandparents, they had me drawing by the age of 5.” Lloyd once explained to a local writer.    “My grandfather made me flip-card movies, and I used to make my own comic books from movies he’d take me to see.  As I grew up, I was encouraged to do more with art by my teachers and eventually got my first job as a sculptor at age 20.”

From Maryland, after serving a tour of duty with the US Army as a band member during the Korean War, he moved to Newton with his wife Barbara to pursue his passion for art.  An Honors graduate of the Museum of Fine Arts school, Lloyd also studied at other prestigious art schools such as Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, ME, the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. and the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, Italy.  Lloyd served on the Boston University faculty for thirty-four years and was Professor of Art for twenty-one of them, teaching art and sculpture.  He remained in touch with many of his former students, several of which worked with him on some of his various commissions.

His vast body of work includes many life sized bronze sculptures of prominent people in multiple cities in the US, as well as in Mexico and Istanbul.  His biggest commission was “The First Wave” exhibit at the Woman’s Rights National Park in Seneca Falls, NY, which contained 20 life sized statues including the 5 women (Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Martha Wright, Mary Ann M’Clinlock and Jane Hunt) who organized the First Women’s rights Convention in 1848.   Other notable Public Commissions of Lloyd’s include John Adams, Abigail and John Quincy Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Booker T. Washington, as well as “local” historical figures such as Red Auerbach, Mayor D’Alesandro (Former Mayor of Baltimore), and Mayor James Michael Curley. 

Two of Lloyds commissions in particular are noteworthy for their poignancy.  In the first, titled Chess Players, Lloyd used his father, Alfred Lillie, and his son, Warren Lillie as the models, and the second, titled Children Reading, Lloyd used two of his granddaughters as the models.

His work for the National Parks Service for 40+ years, includes quite the eclectic range, everything from a diorama depicting the signing of the Mayflower Compact aboard the Mayflower in Provincetown, MA, to a life sized horse with Teddy Roosevelt on its back in the Teddy Roosevelt National Park in Medora, North Dakota.  His artistic talents ranged from Sculpture to Drawing to Painting, and included an ability to create virtually any figure in his daughters and grand-daughters favorite medium, Pancake batter. 

He is the recipient of sculpture awards at the National Sculpture Society and the National Academy of Design.

Lloyd loved to travel with Barbara, and made many lasting friendships in the various countries they visited.  As well as his artistry, Lloyd was an accomplished Jazz musician who loved music, was an inveterate pianist and was known for enticing others to come up and play a tune with him.  He loved to entertain, and was known for epic parties at his home, which always included music.  Typically, it would be Lloyd tickling the ivories with a Martini perched on top of the piano, and Barbara keeping time with a snare drum and brushes. 

His generosity, fantastic sense of humor and love of life will be deeply missed by the many friends and family who all shared the gifts this man had to give. 

A Memorial will be held at Eaton & Mackay Funeral Home 465 Centre St., Newton, MA 02458 on Sunday, March 8, 2020 from 12 – 3pm. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that folks donate to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Lloyds Memory.

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