Donald Leroy Hoover

The retired associate superintendant of the East Baton Rouge Parish school system and a resident of New Iberia since 2005, he died at 8:50 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007, at Dauterive Hospital, New Iberia. He was 73 and a former longtime resident of Baton Rouge and Amite. A mentor to all, he challenged everyone to be all they could be and used his education as tools in his life's ministry. Dr. Hoover obtained a bachelor's degree in chemistry, a master's degree in entomology from LSU and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Texas. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. In addition, he completed a fellowship program from Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies. A member of Blackwater United Methodist Church, he was a Sunday school teacher for 25 years and a lay minister for the Louisiana United Methodist Conference. He is survived by his wife, Emma Miller Hoover, a daughter, Diana Hoover, and a son, Scott Hoover and wife Martha, all of New Iberia; two sisters, Beverly Walson, Lafayette, and Donna Hoover, Houston; and two grandchildren, Zachary and Lauren Hoover. He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald J. and Opal Mastin Hoover. Visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd., on Friday, Dec. 28, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitation resumes at Blackwater United Methodist Church, 10000 Blackwater Road, Baker, on Saturday, Dec. 29, from 9:30 a.m. until religious service at 11 a.m., conducted by the Rev. Brady Forman. Interment in the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Blackwater United Methodist Church, 10000 Blackwater Road, Baker, LA 70714.