Gene Hoover

The laughter and fun loving spirit of Gene Hoover, age 58, of rural LeGrand, passed from this earthly life on the afternoon of Saturday afternoon, January 5th, at the Mayo Clinics in Rochester, MN, with his family at his side.           Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 9th, at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home with Pastor Jim Bonser of the Stavanger Friends Church officiating. Gene would want your presence to be comfortable, so the family encourages casual attire. He will be laid to rest in the Stavanger Friends Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-8:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the American Heart Association or the Stavanger Friends Church in lieu of flowers. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com . Ph. 641-844-1234.           Born on July 6th, 1960, in Marshalltown, he was one of seven children born to Neil and Winnifred (Rosedale) Hoover. He graduated from the LDF High School in 1978 and later from MCC with an associates degree in 1980.           On May 30th, 1982, he was united in marriage to Sharon Stangeland at the LeGrand Friends Church. They made the LeGrand community their home all of their married lives. Gene began his working career laying sod during college and then at Vulcon Construction. Later he was employed at International Distribution Corp. in Dillon and Continental Grain before starting to farm- a career he never really thought of but absolutely loved. He farmed for 28 years and also sold seed for Great Lakes Seed for 26 years.           Gene was a man of faith and an active member of the Stavanger Friends Church. He served on the church board, pastoral committee and the cemetery board. He also served on the Central County Co-op and was a LeGrand Township Trustee.           In high school, Gene enjoyed playing football and was honored to be named 2nd team All-State center. He also enjoyed NASCAR, raising livestock, the ISU Cyclones and time on Facebook sharing laughter, “Dad” jokes and visiting friends. He loved God, his family and friends and the earth he worked.           Praising God for his memory are Sharon, his loving wife of 36 years, daughters Noel and Hannah both of Des Moines; siblings- Norma (the late Albert) Bratti of Fredricksburg, VA, Andrea (Carl) Possehl of Hanahan, SC, Roger (Sharon) Hoover of LeGrand, Rick (Sue) Hoover of Nevada, IA, and Brian (Lori) Hoover of rural Marshalltown; numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews; brother-in-law Lloyd (Charlotte) Stangeland of rural Gilman and sisters-in-law Karen Rasmussen of Marshalltown and Sunna Hoover of Edmund, OK.           Preceding Gene in death were his parents, brother Walter and in-laws Clarence and Helen Stangeland.