BOSTON -- The New England Center and Home for Veterans (NECHV) recently presented its 2021 Brian A. Brooks Distinguished Service to Veterans Award posthumously to late Archdiocesan General Counsel F. Beirne Lovely, Jr. during the NECHV's 19th annual Leave No One Behind Gala at the Seaport Hotel in Boston.

The award, which recognizes people in the community who have provided outstanding and impactful support to veterans, was presented to Mr. Lovely's wife Joan, by NECHV President and CEO C. Andrew McCawley.

Lovely was general counsel of the Archdiocese of Boston and chair of the NECHV Board of Directors at the time of his death in June 2020. A member of the NECHV board since 2011, he was named vice chair in 2016 and chair in 2018.

"Throughout his tenure on the Board, Beirne's commitment to the center and to veterans was palpable," said McCawley. "He gave freely and often of his time and energy, his connections in the community and his keen intellect to help guide and steward the Center."

A Vietnam War hero, Lovely began his military career in the Army ROTC at Dartmouth College, and accepted his commission as an officer in the Marine Corps following his graduation in 1967. After earning the designation of infantry officer at Quantico, Lovely deployed to Vietnam in January of 1968, courageously leading his men in the 1st Battalion 9th Marines (notoriously dubbed "The Walking Dead") into battle in Khe Sanh during the Tet Offensive. For his heroism, he was awarded two Bronze Stars as well as a Purple Heart and, later, a Navy Commendation Medal and a Navy Achievement Medal.

Upon completing his service, Lovely enrolled in law school at Boston University, where he became managing editor of the Law Review. He graduated cum laude in 1975 and began a successful career in corporate law at Herrick Smith, before being recruited to Goodwin Procter, where he was selected for early partnership. As a senior partner, he acted as a mentor to new lawyers and founded the Children's Fund at Goodwin, collecting toys, clothing, and money for children and those experiencing homelessness. In 2007, Mr. Lovely became the first in-house general counsel for the Archdiocese of Boston.