Obituary for Arthur W Hoover
Arthur William Hoover, age 81, died in Durham, New Hampshire on September 6, 2021.
Art was born in San Luis Obispo, California on April 4, 1940. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1962 and earned a law degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1965. While at Notre Dame, he met his wife, Susan (Elllis). They settled in New Hampshire, living in Rochester until 1988 and then in New Durham. In January 2020, they moved to RiverWoods in Durham.
Art practiced law for more than 50 years, first in Rochester and then in Alton, before retiring in 2016. Two common themes characterized his personal and professional interests over the course of his life: action and community. He was in motion much of the time. He played football and baseball at Dartmouth and rugby at Notre Dame and began jogging on a daily basis in the early 1970s, continuing until just a few years before he died. He ran his first marathon at age 66, played competitive baseball until he was in his early 60s, and was an avid hiker and skier into his 70s. One of his proudest athletic achievements was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, at age 65.
Art was extensively involved in civic activities across a wide range of areas and interests in the region. His belief that athletics helped instill important values of teamwork, collaboration, responsibility, and dedication motivated him to support opportunities for young people throughout his life. They guided his work as a lawyer and his community involvements. He coached youth baseball and football in Somersworth, Rochester and New Durham for many years and was part of a core group of local residents who conceptualized and created Roger Allen Park in Rochester in the 1980s. He was inducted into the Rochester Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 as a coach and contributor.
He was a member of Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary clubs in Rochester and Alton for decades. He served on the board of directors at Frisbie Memorial Hospital and the school board at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and was the first president of Great Waters Music Festival.
Art also found relaxation and peace in his Catholic faith and was an active participant in St. Mary Parish in Rochester and St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Alton.
Art was a voracious reader, especially of military history and biographies. His interest in World War II led him to visit several key sites, including Pearl Harbor, the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy, France, and the Churchill War Rooms in London. For decades, he and Susan spent two weeks of vacation every year in Key West, Florida, where they were annually joined by a large group of friends from around the country.
Art touched many lives and he will be greatly missed. In addition to Susan, his wife of 56 years, he is survived by four children, Jennifer Hoover of Durham; Jeffrey Hoover of New Haven, Connecticut; Matthew Hoover of Dover; and Patrick Cash-Peterson of Reykjavik, Iceland; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind two brothers, Jack of Grover Beach, California and Harry of Pismo Beach, California and a sister, Jill, of Twin Falls, Idaho. Art was predeceased by his daughter-in-law, Karen Hoover.
The family wishes to thank Brookhaven Hospice for its gentle care of Art at the end of his life.
Arrangements are under the direction of Purdy Funeral Services.
Visiting hours will be from 4:00 to 6:00 on Friday, September 10, 2021 at Wiggin-Purdy-McCooey-Dion Funeral Home in Dover.
A Catholic Funeral Mass will take place at 11:00 am on Monday, September 13, 2021 at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Alton, with a luncheon to follow.
Donations in Art’s name can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, PO. Box 5014, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741, www.michaeljfox.org.
Art was born in San Luis Obispo, California on April 4, 1940. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1962 and earned a law degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1965. While at Notre Dame, he met his wife, Susan (Elllis). They settled in New Hampshire, living in Rochester until 1988 and then in New Durham. In January 2020, they moved to RiverWoods in Durham.
Art practiced law for more than 50 years, first in Rochester and then in Alton, before retiring in 2016. Two common themes characterized his personal and professional interests over the course of his life: action and community. He was in motion much of the time. He played football and baseball at Dartmouth and rugby at Notre Dame and began jogging on a daily basis in the early 1970s, continuing until just a few years before he died. He ran his first marathon at age 66, played competitive baseball until he was in his early 60s, and was an avid hiker and skier into his 70s. One of his proudest athletic achievements was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, at age 65.
Art was extensively involved in civic activities across a wide range of areas and interests in the region. His belief that athletics helped instill important values of teamwork, collaboration, responsibility, and dedication motivated him to support opportunities for young people throughout his life. They guided his work as a lawyer and his community involvements. He coached youth baseball and football in Somersworth, Rochester and New Durham for many years and was part of a core group of local residents who conceptualized and created Roger Allen Park in Rochester in the 1980s. He was inducted into the Rochester Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 as a coach and contributor.
He was a member of Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary clubs in Rochester and Alton for decades. He served on the board of directors at Frisbie Memorial Hospital and the school board at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and was the first president of Great Waters Music Festival.
Art also found relaxation and peace in his Catholic faith and was an active participant in St. Mary Parish in Rochester and St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Alton.
Art was a voracious reader, especially of military history and biographies. His interest in World War II led him to visit several key sites, including Pearl Harbor, the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy, France, and the Churchill War Rooms in London. For decades, he and Susan spent two weeks of vacation every year in Key West, Florida, where they were annually joined by a large group of friends from around the country.
Art touched many lives and he will be greatly missed. In addition to Susan, his wife of 56 years, he is survived by four children, Jennifer Hoover of Durham; Jeffrey Hoover of New Haven, Connecticut; Matthew Hoover of Dover; and Patrick Cash-Peterson of Reykjavik, Iceland; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind two brothers, Jack of Grover Beach, California and Harry of Pismo Beach, California and a sister, Jill, of Twin Falls, Idaho. Art was predeceased by his daughter-in-law, Karen Hoover.
The family wishes to thank Brookhaven Hospice for its gentle care of Art at the end of his life.
Arrangements are under the direction of Purdy Funeral Services.
Visiting hours will be from 4:00 to 6:00 on Friday, September 10, 2021 at Wiggin-Purdy-McCooey-Dion Funeral Home in Dover.
A Catholic Funeral Mass will take place at 11:00 am on Monday, September 13, 2021 at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Alton, with a luncheon to follow.
Donations in Art’s name can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, PO. Box 5014, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741, www.michaeljfox.org.