John M. Hovey

John Hovey died on July 9, 2022, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire at age 97.

John was born in Spooner on March 25, 1925, to Oscar and Rena Hovey. After graduating from Spooner High School in 1943, he moved to Washington, D.C. to work as a technician at the Naval Research Laboratory.  When World War II ended, he earned a degree in physics at Northland College and returned to the Naval Research Lab as a physicist until 1976. After relocating to Spooner, he worked as testing director at Stresau Lab, retiring in 1990.

John married Edna (Eddie) Foss on May 19, 1956. They were fortunate to have 66 years together. They have one daughter, Barb.

John loved his family and he loved outdoor activities. Family vacations were often spent camping in the Virginia mountains or near North Carolina beaches. Summers usually included camping near Spooner for a Hovey family reunion. When John retired to Spooner, he enjoyed hunting and fishing with brothers Bill and Art. With the mind of a scientist, John was always curious to know how things worked. His family and friends often comment how interesting it was to chat with him because of his wide range of interests.

He was preceded in death by parents, Oscar and Rena Hovey and by siblings Bill (Mary), Art (Marie), Jim (Mabel) and Gen (Grant) Fernstrom. He is survived by Eddie, his wife of 66 years, and daughter Barb. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews, including Duffy (Bill) Sauer, Gary Hovey, Carol Hovey.

Services will be held on July 21, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at the Spooner United Methodist Church with a visitation starting at 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment will follow at the Spooner Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Spooner United Methodist Church, Glenview Assisted Living in Shell Lake, or Spooner Railroad Park.

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