Esther Ruth Hoover

Esther’s life on this earth ended as her singing career in heaven began on Wednesday, March 1, 2017.  If she were to be remembered for one thing, she would want it to be for loving Jesus Christ. She spent over 20 years traveling the United States telling women about how she loved Jesus and how they could know that he loved them too. She would start off with a couple of jokes and then she would start to tell you about her family.

She would tell you about how she married the class clown of her freshman English class, Floyd Hoover of Goshen. How they loved, laughed, fought and worked together, for 60 years. Then becoming parents of what she would say was her greatest accomplishment; her children, three sons, Rick (Celena) Hoover, D.O., Gautier, Mississippi,  Steve (Janet) Hoover and Kirk (Lisa) Hoover both of Elkhart and a daughter, Connie (Mike) Mahaffa of Goshen.

She of course would want to tell you about her grandchildren, Clayton, Katherine, Carter, Logan and Addisyn Hoover all of Mississippi,  Adam (Vickie) Hoover, Martinez, Georgia, Chrissy (Chris) Tucker, Elkhart, Jessica Hoover, St. Louis, Missouri, Ai Wan (Moy Tolentino) Choong, Elkhart,  Julie (Andy) Lehman, Millersburg, Kim Mahaffa, Livonia, Michigan, Lisa (Josh) Thompson, Elkhart, Mindy Mahaffa, Goshen and  Zach Hoover, Walla Walla, Washington.  Also about her great grandchildren, Micah, Eli, Raegan and Hadie Lehman of Millersburg, Gabe and Eva Thompson, Elkhart, Ravyn Hoover, Washington and Nayali Tolentino Choong, Elkhart.

A great granddaughter, Macy Lehman, preceded her in death.

Then she would tell you she was born August 26th, 1938, the youngest of ten children born to Clayton and Maude Rheinheimer, in Scott. Both preceded her in death along with an infant sibling, Frances. Being the youngest, she was teased mercilessly by six older brothers, Al, Floyd, Maynard, Ivan, John Rheinheimer, all deceased and Ernie Rheinheimer, of New Paris. Loved and protected by two sisters, Pauline Schrock and Lois Blosser both deceased.

She’d be sure to tell you that she and Floyd owned many businesses; Hoover Enterprises included three laundromats, several apartment buildings, and refrigeration repair.  They also owned Square Deal Tool and Die, Inc. where she sat on the board of the corporation as the secretary. She served on the national board of Stonecroft Ministries for 22 years and was a founding member of River Oaks Community Church.

She loved her family and taught them to love each other by her example. It is her love that will hold them together. She was diagnosed seven years ago with early onset Alzheimer’s. Toward the end of her life on earth, it was the great grandchildren that could get her to open her eyes when no one else could.

There will be a visitation Friday, March 3 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home.  An 11 a.m., Saturday, March 4, memorial service will be held at River Oaks Community Church.

A private family burial will be held at Cornell Cemetery, Goshen.

The family would like to thank the staff at The Homestead at Greencroft, The Center for Hospice Care of Elkhart and her daily caregivers, Robin Kantz and Shauna Bailey.

Memorials may be given to The Alzheimer’s Association or Stonecroft Ministries.