Obituary of Thomas Harrison Hoover

Thomas H. Hoover, 83, of Rush, Colorado, passed away Sunday, May 6^th, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Center in Simla, Colorado.  Tom had been residing at the Center for the past two years. 

Tom was born on April 14, 1935, at Rush, CO. to Harold and Willa (Townley) Hoover.  He was raised in a close-knit family that worked and played together.  Tom was the youngest son of the Hoover children (Mira, Bill, Jerry and Ron) and was often the recipient of pranks from his older siblings. A special relationship remained throughout the years between Tom and his siblings and their families.  They gathered once a month to cut hair and make homemade ice cream.  Water battles often erupted between the siblings during the yearly Townley reunions.  On other occasions just attaching a hose to a hydrant was a prime opportunity to soak unsuspecting bystanders.  Tom’s nieces and nephews remember keeping a close eye on their Uncle Tom as he always enjoyed teasing them relentlessly, and they loved it.

Tom was a rancher and farmer.  He lived most of his life on the Centennial Hoover Homestead.     During his twenties, Tom joined with his brothers to form the Hoover Brother’s Farm partnership.  They were one of the largest wheat- producing operations in the area.  After the partnership dissolved Tom remained on the Hoover homestead where he continued farming and raising charolais cattle.  Tom took great pride in his charolais cow herd, and would often be seen in the barnyard scratching the back of a cow or large bull.

Tom attended school at Miami Public School and graduated in 1953. Tom enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1955.  He was stationed at the Fairfield Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington, where he served in the military police.   Tom shared about his long nights of standing in the cold guarding the military base and their planes. 

In 1968, Tom married Dorothy Peats Waters in Colorado Springs, Colorado and they were married twenty-five years.  They later divorced.  He became the step-father of Dorothy’s three children, Cheryl, David, and Debbie, when they were young.  Tom’s grandchildren are Debbie’s children (Chad, Brent, Carrie, and Rebecca), and a great grandfather to 13.  His grandchildren remember how they would ride out on ATV’s in the pasture to check his beloved charolais herd and waiting in the barn for new calves to be born.

Serving for 16 years on the Double El Soil Conservation Board was important to Tom.  He appreciated the tree distributing program and planted and cared for many trees on the Hoover homestead.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents (Harold and Willa (Hoover), step son (David Waters), sister and brother-in-law (Mira and Francis Herbert), brother and sister-in-law (Bill and Veda Hoover), and brother (Gerald Hoover).

Tom is survived by brother Ron (Donna) Hoover, sister-in-law Norma Hoover,  his step daughters Debbie (Ray) Thieman and Cheryl Waters, grandchildren Chad (Tracy) Thieman, Brent (Kelly) Thieman, Carrie (Shawn) Bennett, Rebecca (Curtis) Stanko, close friend (Crystal Bachelder), 13 great grandchildren, and many loving nieces and nephews.

Tom’s family would like to express their gratitude to the Good Samaritan Center in Simla for their kindness and care they provided. A special thanks also to the Ron Hoover family.  Tom lived two years of his life in their home during his early stages of Parkinson’s disease.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, May 19^th, 2018, at the Matheson Community Bible Church, 36882 Broadway Avenue, Matheson, Colorado.  A luncheon will follow the service.  An inurnment will be done at a later day.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Tom’s behalf to the Good Samaritan Center, 320 Pueblo Avenue, Simla, CO. 80835 or to Matheson Community Bible Church, 36882 Broadway Avenue, Matheson, CO. 80830.