Browse the obituary of Rev Dr Robert Philip Hoover May 29 1939 December 15 2022 residing in York, Pennsylvania for funeral burial details. Write a message of sympathy or a last tribute to perpetue the friendship thread
May 29 1939 December 15 2022
The Rev. Dr. Robert Philip Hoover, age 83, passed peacefully from this life on December 15, 2022, at The Memory Care Unit at SpiriTrust Lutheran in York, PA. Bob was born on May 29, 1939, in York, PA to the late Dr. Philip A. and Elizabeth Jane (Fles) Hoover. He was a 1957 graduate of the Mercersburg Academy, PA who then received a Bachelor of Arts in 1961 from Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA (where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity; Mu Upsilon Sigma the music honor society; and served as vice-president of the Pyramid Society, a senior honor society. He earned a Master of Divinity in 1964 from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, and a Doctor of Ministry from Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, OH, in 1987. His doctoral dissertation is “How to Listen to a Sermon.” Prior to ordination, Bob was a student assistant pastor 1963-64 at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Ordained by Donegal Presbytery in Pennsylvania on June 28, 1964, at his home church, First Presbyterian, York, he served as the installed pastor for three Northeast Ohio Presbyterian (PCUSA) congregations in Carrollton (New Harrisburg Presbyterian Church, 1964-1970), Massillon (Central Presbyterian, 1970-1985); and Youngstown (Poland Presbyterian, 1987-2004). He had interim ministries in Akron, Ohio (Oak Hill Presbyterian 1986-87); Wichita, Kansas (First Presbyterian, 2004-05); and metro Washington D.C. (Darnestown Presbyterian, 2006-08). Whereas being the preaching and administrator pastor for larger Presbyterian congregations over the years, he was equally committed to Christian education ministries. He served as the most continuous pastor ever, 41 years, for the Logos Ministry, based in Monroeville, PA, a midweek children’s ministry for Bible study, recreation, dinner and, choir that he introduced to each church he served. During years of decline in the mainline church, all his congregations in contrast grew in membership and financial support. He attributed this to Logos, a welcoming ministry for new members. Always having a community presence, Dr. Hoover was affiliated with high school football for 40 years. He is the only clergyman ever to have served as president of one of the booster clubs for the renowned Massillon Tigers, Washington High School, Massillon, OH. He was president of the Touchdown Club in 1974. He was the chaplain/motivational speaker for the Poland Seminary High School football team, 1987-2004, hosting team dinners at the church on Thursday evenings, giving a pep talk on the eve of each game plus being on the sidelines for Friday night games. He was proud of his State of Ohio Championship Ring presented to him by the Poland team, state champions 1999, Division 3. He was inducted into the Poland Seminary High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. Giving invocations and benedictions at football banquets over the years, he cherished sitting at the head table with notable college coaches as Woody Hayes (Ohio State), Bo Schembechler (Michigan), Jerry Faust (Notre Dame), Earle Bruce (Ohio State), Jim Dennison (Akron), Don James (University of Washington), Tom Harp (Duke), Jim Young (Army), Lee Tressel (BaldwinWallace); Jim Tressel (Ohio State), Rick Shepas (Waynesburg), and Bob Commings (Iowa). He was the officiant for the Commings’ funeral held in Massillon in 1993. He enjoyed knowing Paul Brown, founder and coach of the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, who started his coaching career at Massillon in the 1930s. Dr. Hoover appears in the documentary movie “Go Tigers” that won a Sundance Award in 2000. The documentary has him addressing the Massillon football team in the locker room at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium talking to the team about how Beethoven faced adversity. He was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club, Canton, OH. Also, he was the chaplain for the Massillon City Fire Department (1970-1985), the chaplain for Viet Nam Veterans, Stark County (Canton), OH (1978-1987), and president of Carrollton’s Rotary Club (1967). He was an avid jogger for 35 years. Dr. Hoover’s Massillon ministry was the subject of a two-volume case study for theological education, Tensions Between Citizenship and Discipleship authored by a team of ten scholars from seminaries and universities across the United States that was funded by the religion sector of the Eli Lilly Foundation, Indianapolis, IN and published by Pilgrim Press in 1989. The study implies that the Gospel does not make the impact on the American culture that it could unless the church has a firm grasp on the dynamics of citizenship in the United States. His ministry over the years made that connection between citizenship and discipleship. He appeared on NBC-TV’s “The Today Show” a segment with Paul Cunningham on “How Massillon Felt About the End of the Viet Nam War” and on that same network’s “Evening News with Tom Brokaw” in 1984 on a segment with John Hart regarding “Sanctuary for Central American Refugees.” That same year he was quoted on the front page of the Wall Street Journal in one story about “Sanctuary” and another about Massillon football. He served as president of the Board of Trustees, Eastminster Presbytery in OH (1998-2003). He was appointed in 1996 by Federal District Judge David D. Dowd, Jr. of Massillon to serve on a selection committee for the federal judges of the Ohio Northern District to appoint the first Federal Magistrate Judge to serve in Youngstown. While in Massillon and Youngstown, Dr. Hoover was frequently interviewed by local television stations and newspapers on a variety of current topics. He is survived by his wife, Linda June (McQuaid) Hoover whom he married September 26, 1967, five months after he met her on the beach, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, David R. Hoover (Elizabeth) and their daughters, Caroline and Madeline, Alexandria, VA, and daughter, Leah S. Hoover, (Alexander Hurd) Cincinnati, OH. Also, he is survived by his brother Benjamin A. Hoover II, M.D., York, PA and three sisters: Barbara K. Hahn (Louis) Newtown Square, PA; Susan E. Hoover, Lancaster, PA; and Sarah J. Dietrich (Brian), Malvern, PA; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister, Lisa Mavromatis, Lubbock, Texas, and sister-in-law Anne Hoover, wife of Benjamin A. Hoover II York, PA. A Memorial Service will be held January 21, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 225 East Market Street, York, Pennsylvania 17403, with interment at the Memorial Garden immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers the family suggests a contribution be made to the following organizations: • GenOn Ministries (formally LOGOS) C/O Rev. Robert Hoover Memorial Fund donatenow.networkforgood.org/GenOnMinistries GenOn Ministries, P.O. Box 4, Springdale, PA 15144 • Poland Seminary High School, C/O Robert Hoover Scholarship polandschoolsfoundation.com Poland Schools Foundation, PO box address: PO Box 5217, Poland, OH 44514 • Oxford Presbyterian Church, C/O Robert Hoover Memorial Fund Oxford Presbyterian Church then click Online Giving Oxford Presbyterian Church, 6 Pine St, Oxford, PA 19363 Arrangements by the Etzweiler Funeral Homes and Cremation Service. 1111 East Market Street, York, PA 17403.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Rev Dr Robert Philip Hoover May 29 1939 December 15 2022.
Death notice for the town of: York, state: Pennsylvania