John Hoover passed away October 25, 2016, at age 61. John was one of my closest friends at Denbigh HS. John was part of a group of seven guys who called ourselves by the meaningless name “The Phoonmen” (the others were myself, Don Hodges, Kevin Kachadourian, Jim Lindsay, Steve Perconte, Jim Wingo, and junior Walter Matthews) who hung out together and dreamed up ways to annoy the school administration. John was a gentle, funny, warm soul who loved trains, the rock band Genesis, and going to movies. He frequently wore vintage clothing and sometimes seemed to have been born about 20 years out of his proper time. John was the only person I ever knew who wore fedoras, and he looked good in them. I have no doubt that John was the favorite teacher of, and a positive influence on, hundreds of students over the decades.
John was born in Williamsburg, VA to Naomi Dozier and Ernest Hoover, and he lived in Ocean View since 1986. John graduated from Denbigh HS, Bridgewater College and Old Dominion University. He was devoted to his job as a middle school teacher at Booker T. Washington and Hines Middle Schools in Newport News, because he wanted to help middle - schoolers stay on the right path at a critical time in their young lives. John loved camping with his Bridgewater buddies, rock and roll music, TV, and the movies. John is survived by his wife, Frances, and son John Halstead Hoover; his sister, Marie H. Wible (Denbigh High School class of 1979) and brother-in-law Ron of Stephens City, VA his aunt Susan Grotz and husband Art of Maryland; and nephews Jacob (wife Joyce), Michael, and Erik Wible; his in-laws, and many cousins. John’s younger brother Tom Hoover of Lee Hall, Denbigh High School class of 1976, passed away in 2017.
Rob Doorack