Ronald L. Hoover

It is said that life is what happens during the dash. On January 19, 2023 we lost our husband, father, Pappy, brother, uncle, friend. Ronald L Hoover was born on September 22, 1946 and passed away on January 19, 2023. His dash was 76 years long. Each of you entered into his life on a certain page/chapter and may not have known the entirety of who he was and what he accomplished. He was born and raised just north of Hanover, PA and was a proud graduate of the Bermudian Springs Class of 1964. During his younger years, he was a talented trumpet player and marched with the Hanover Lancers. He met and married his wife Pat at the age of 19. Together, they raised 4 children, Joe, Bill, Theresa and Karen,  of whom he was very proud. While he may have had trouble expressing his love for us with words, he did his best to show that we were important to him and he was proud of our accomplishments. As we grew, he made sure to always follow our adventures and sharing our successes with those who would listen. Perhaps his greatest joy came when he became a Pappy to his beloved grandson, Mahlon. In his later years he had many adventures with Mahlon and rarely missed any of his events. He particularly liked cheering him on at volleyball matches during high school and college.

Professionally, he was the youngest person in Pennsylvania to earn a Professional Electrical Engineering License without a college degree. His professional career found him working many different jobs, but he was always quick to tell us  about the projects he worked on and the things he designed. Throughout his career he never stopped learning and actively participated in many professional organizations. He also started several successful businesses, some of which are still in existence.

During his non-work time, he spent 20 years as an active volunteer firefighter, serving in various leadership roles. He was the first volunteer firefighter to drive the ambulance and fire truck at the Westmont Borough Volunteer Fire Company in Johnstown, PA, opening the door for many after him. His love of volunteering in this capacity is something that his son, Bill, carried on in his life.  He also coached Little League baseball for his son Joe’s teams and was an active member of the Rotary Club, helping his daughter Theresa become an exchange student during her junior year of high school.  He also attended every sporting event where Karen performed as a cheerleader during her high school years.  In addition to volunteering, he was a member of the South Western School District in Hanover, PA school board and attended as many sporting events as possible his children participated.

He was also a skilled worker. In every house we lived in, he was always remodeling and building. These skills started when he was a young man and would work with his father who was a mason. He passed his “Do-It-Yourself” skills on to his children and grandson. We all tackle home projects at various levels. We often joked that a simple project turns into a “Hoover Project” when it takes more time to complete than originally planned.

In his later years, while managing a myriad of health issues, he particularly enjoyed doing genealogy work, keeping in touch with people via Facebook, and playing online scrabble with friends.

As a family, we are thankful that his final days were not spent in pain and he was well cared for by the medical staff at Hanover Hospital, particularly the nurses, care givers and care sitters, especially those on the 2nd floor Progressive Care Unit, who helped to ensure that he was treated with dignity and respect until his last breath.

Ron is survived by his wife Patricia A. (Wilt) Hoover; children Joseph E. (Debra), William A., Theresa M. and Karen E. Hoover, and grandson, Mahlon D. Bender.  Additional family include his brother Lynn E. Hoover (d’Deette), brother-in-law, Robert E. Wilt,  and numerous nieces, nephews, step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren. 

While each of us will miss him based on our time spent with him, the family has chosen to remember and celebrate his life privately. We encourage you to share your memories with us via his account as we know each of you played a part in his journey on this earth. As you remember him, take time to tell your loved ones how you  feel, spend time with them while you can and say I love you every chance you get.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the GoFundMe account (https://gofund.me/85dcb51f )set up to help with his unexpected medical expenses.

Condolences may be shared at www.kenwothyfh.com

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