Gary Dean Hoover

He attended Castlevale Elementary, Franklin Jr. High, Eisenhower and Davis Sr. High Schools and received his GED at University of Alaska. He was employed at Harrah Hardware and Lumber in Harrah and McGuire Lumber in Yakima.

In his youth he enjoyed playing football, baseball, camping with his family, fishing, hunting and later in life he loved racing cars at the Yakima Speedway and in California and other locations as well. Gary was an avid fan of Nascar. He loved the Oakland Raiders.

He joined the United States Marine Corps in September of 1979 and adapted the nickname "HOOVDOG". He was responsible for scheduled maintenance and repairs on the LA VTD AND MCAGCC in Twentynine Palms, CA. He also participated in the Marine Corps' Light Armored Vehicle Mission Role Vehicle Program. He developed an air brake towing system and towing wiring harness for the LA V family of vehicles that allowed the LA V to be safely towed on interstate highways, freeways and in the field. Gary went to Saudi Arabia to work for GM after the Persian Gulf War. He retired from the USMC in January 1993. Even in retirement Gary was a Marine through and through. After retiring from the Marines, he worked for various employers including Lucas Oil Products in California and later for Lucas Oil in Missouri. He returned home, to Yakima in 2001 and furthered his education at YVCC.

He is survived by his 2 daughters, Kelsi Hoover of California and Anna (David) Meyers of Texas; 3 granddaughters, Amelia of California, Hailee and Kelsee of Texas; his father, Francis "Bud" Keagle; his sisters, Nita (Mike) Ferreira and Vickie Luther all of Yakima; his brother, Donald (Marta) Keagle of Selah; two half sisters, Cheryl (Ray) Stanfill, Shirley (Horace) Wrather of Tennessee. Numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Doris Jean Keagle and brothers, Robert "Lee" and Charles Daniel Hoover.

A Celebration of Gary’s Life will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, January 14, 2012 at Keith & Keith Terrace Heights Chapel. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to the American Cancer Society. To share a memory of Gary visit, www.keithandkeith.com.