Leonard Franklin Hoover

Leonard was born on May 10, 1928, in Jeffersonville, Indiana. His family moved to Chance, Kentucky in 1931 where they were tobacco farmers. After finishing high school, Leonard joined the United States Air Force (the U.S. Army Air Corps at that time). While in the Air Force, he earned his college degree, worked search-and-rescue missions, became an electronics technician and earned the rank of Tech Sergeant. He served in many places including Germany, Japan, and Alaska (he was in Germany at the end of World War II and in Anchorage during the 1964 earthquake). After 20 years, he retired from the Air Force and went to work for NASA where he worked in Mission Control as an electronics technician. One of his many memories included working around the clock during the Apollo 13 NASA mission in 1970.

While stationed in Munich, Germany, Leonard met the love of his life Centa, and they were married on March 27, 1951, in Freising, Germany.

In 2009, Leonard was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel by the governor of Kentucky. Kentucky Colonel is the highest honor awarded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and Kentucky Colonels are ambassadors of goodwill and fellowship around the world. Leonard was deserving and proud of this commission.

Leonard had many hobbies and skills. He was an avid football fan. He was on a bowling league at Ellington Air Force Base for many years. He had a green thumb, enjoyed working in his yard and was proud of his beautiful flowerbeds. He painstakingly researched and compiled an extensive genealogy of the Hoover family. His favorite hobbies were woodworking and carpentry work; he designed and built furniture. His daughters remember him being a co-conspirator in the building of wooden school projects and remember the many special things he built for them including doll furniture, a skateboard, and a sled with wheels. His daughters and Centa never doubted that he could fix anything or that he was the best handyman and carpenter ever.

Leonard was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith. He was a faithful member of Zion Lutheran Church since 1966, where he served as an usher and was famous for the thousands of delicious homemade Christmas cookies that he baked for Zion's Christmas Cookie Walks and for friends. He was a member of Zion's YAH (Young at Heart) group. His church friends and fellowship were important and meaningful to him.

Leonard is survived by his daughters, Veronica Hoover Fowler and husband John, Mary Hoover Hernandez, Frances Theresa Hoover, Thelma Hoover West and husband Shane; numerous beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren; his sister Zela Bennett, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 53 years Centa; stepdaughter Margareta (“Gretel”) Hoffman; sisters Clara Earls, Jannie Cape, Lory Bennett, Rachel Durdick, Margie Pelston; half-brothers Tannie Hoover and Ulis Hoover; parents Tannie Parvin Hoover and Zetty Edna Lawhorn Hoover.

His family and friends remember Leonard as being exacting, optimistic, patient, kind, friendly, and that he saw the potential and best in everyone. They especially remember his never-wavering clever sense of humor.

Leonard was a beloved and devoted son, brother, husband, father, and friend. He will be dearly missed, and his legacy continues on through all the lives that he touched, loved and inspired.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Zion Lutheran Church in Memory of Leonard F. Hoover, 5050 E. Sam Houston Parkway S, Pasadena, TX 77505, or to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, https://www.michaeljfox.org/tribute.