Eddie Gene Love

Eddie Gene Love, 54 of Westerville, OH passed away on July 9, 2024, after a four-year struggle with cancer.

Eddie was born July 7, 1970, to Louis C. Love Sr. and Eddie Faye Bunting-Love in South Bend, IN. After Eddie graduated from high school, he attended Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois for his freshman year and left to enlist in the Army.

Eddie was a natural athlete with baseball being his first passion followed by hockey and football. Eddie was the first Black male to play hockey in the IYHL with the Irish Rover in South Bend, IN. Eddie was recruited to attend St. Joseph High School to play baseball, hockey, and football. It is believed that Eddie was the first Black male to play hockey at St. Joe. During his senior year at St. Joe, Eddie was chosen as the first Black male to play hockey on the ISHA Team, Team Indiana (now Indiana Elite) relocating him to Carmel, IN. However, when the hockey season was over, Eddie got homesick and returned to South Bend, where he graduated from LaSalle High School.

Eddie confessed his life to Christ at a young age at St Paul Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, South Bend IN, under the leadership of Pastor Booker T. West Sr., were Eddie serve in various ministries.

Eddie was preceded in death by his father, Louis C Love Sr., mother, Eddie Faye Love, his sister Yvonne F. Love, brother Wallace Cole and brother-in-law Harold L Houghton. Eddie’s Boys, Craig Waters and Larry Palmer.

Eddie leaves to cherish his memories, his daughters; Bianca Lucille Byrd of Portland, OR, and Regina Maria Love of Kalamazoo, MI. His granddaughters, Layla Faye Moon, Mila Rose Love and Nina Jade Love, all of Kalamazoo, MI and his grandson Alan Louis Byrd of Portland, OR. His sisters, Glenda (Anthony) Houghton Sr. of South Bend, IN, LaRae Houghton of Westerville, OH, and Felicia Love of Whitehall OH; his brother Louis C. (Jamie) Love Jr. of Waukegan, Il.  4 nieces, 7 nephews, 14 great nieces and 16 great nephews and a host of extended family. Eddie’s Special Friend Bronwyn Weisser. Eddie’s Boys Shaun Diggins, Kevin Hall, Casey (Karo) Harper, Chris (Showboat) Jones, Harold Palmer, Eddie (ES) Scott, Al Waters, and Larry (Dink) Williams.

Services for Eddie will start at 12:00pm on Saturday, August 3, 2024 at Redemption City Church, 1836 Portage Ave, South Bend, IN 46616, with two hours of visitation prior to the service starting at 10:00am. Burial with military honors will immediately follow at Southlawn Cemetery, South Bend.

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