Virginia Elaine Hoover, better known to family and friends as “Ginny,” passed away peacefully, with family by her side, on Wednesday, October 17, 2018. Ginny had been a resident at Meadowbrook in the Cedar River House since November 2014. Her life’s journey has been a remarkable one and always had at its very roots, a foundation of faith and family. It is a heritage she has passed on to all her loved ones.
Born on December 13, 1924 in Detroit, Michigan, her early years were shaped by two major events. The first was the advent of a younger sister who, because of complications during birth, needed special attention from all of her family. Ginny learned about compassion, unconditional love and service taking care of her sister. Those life lessons, along with contracting Polio and losing the use of her legs for about eight months as a nine year old; and then having to fight through pain and the loss of mobility, forged a strength-of-character that blessed her, her entire life.
In high school Ginny met, dated and eventually married her high school sweetheart, Roy “Red” Hoover. They were married at the end of her senior year in 1942. The United States was at war and the decision to marry at a tender age was one many couples were making then as young men were preparing to head off to Europe or the Pacific Theater. One of her great adventures was, after giving birth to a son almost one year to the day of her wedding anniversary, driving out to California to the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton so her husband could see them both before shipping out.
After the war, Ginny had three more sons and the family moved to Traverse City in 1961 and then to Elk Rapids three years later where her home and her heart were firmly planted.
Ginny worked for the Elk Rapids Schools as an aide in the high school library for a number of years before she and Red purchased two stores on River Street in Elk Rapids. For the next 35 years, Ginny ran the family business seeing it transition from furniture and sporting goods stores, to a women’s apparel store to ultimately a gift and antique shop which she named, “Ginny’s Emporium.”
Ginny’s Emporium became the gathering place for residents and visitors to come and visit with the woman who came to be known as the unofficial Chamber of Commerce ambassador. This was due to Ginny’s infectious enthusiasm and passion for life generally and the Elk Rapids community, specifically. The family heard numerous stories over the years of folks who said they moved to Elk Rapids because of Ginny and her love for “her little Norman Rockwell village on Lake Michigan.” That love for Elk Rapids was rewarded when she was selected to be the Grand Marshall of the Harbor Days Parade in 2007.
Her family was always her number one focus. Her example of being a wonderful daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, business leader--and a person who always gave more than she ever asked for, has left a legacy of goodness that her family honors and loves her for.
Ginny was preceded in her passing by her father and mother, Edward Paul Mayo and Florence Marguerite Mayo; a sister, Barbara Jean Mayo and her husband, Roy Ward Hoover.
Ginny is survived by her younger brother, Robert Mayo, and her four sons, Gary and (Carmen) Hoover of Clearwater, Florida; Jon and (Susan) Hoover, of Elk Rapids; Jeff and (Kathi) Hoover of Russiaville, Indiana and Mike and (Carolyn) Hoover of Elk Rapids. Ginny has 12 grandchildren, who she adored, and 13 great grandchildren who she loved equally as much.
A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Elk Rapids on Saturday the 10th of November 2018 at 10:00 a.m. A light luncheon will be provided in the Fellowship Hall immediately following the service. Family will be welcoming those that attend starting at 9:30 a.m.
A visitation for family and friends to gather and share remembrances of Ginny will be held the night before, Friday, November 9th, at Covell Funeral Home in Elk Rapids from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Our entire family wishes to thank the incredible staff located in the Cedar River House at Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility in Bellaire, for their personal care, attention and love for Ginny. The manner in which they cared for Ginny was tender and tireless. They have been and always will be our heroes. Each member of our family came to love and admire each of the staff that touched our mother and grandmother’s life. They mean everything to us.
Additionally, the family desires to thank the very special staff from Heartland Hospice who, over the past month, treated Ginny as if she were a personal family member. We love and appreciate them for the immediate way in which they did all they could to address Ginny’s needs.
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