Ray Donald Hoover

Date of Death: December 18, 2023

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visitation

Amherst Chapel

1600 Amherst Street

Winchester, VA 22601

Saturday 1/13, 10:00 am - 11:00 am

service

Amherst Chapel

1600 Amherst Street

Winchester, VA 22601

Saturday 1/13, 11:00 am

memorial

Memorial contributions may be made to
Gary Sinise Foundation via https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/donate or by mail via the address below:
Gary Sinise Foundation
PO Box 40726
Nashville, TN 37204

Raised on a small farm in Woodbury, Ray always had his eyes turned skyward during his chores. At an early age, he decided to fly airplanes and raised sheep, cattle, and pigs to earn money for his flight lessons. Ever the goal-oriented and determined young man, he worked hard in school, earning Cannon County High School’s Four Square Award in 1962, the highest award bestowed to a graduating senior. Ray was a Boy Scout and, as a high school sophomore, earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He was the first boy in Cannon County, TN, to achieve this rank.

After high school, Ray attended Middle Tennessee State College with a declared major in chemical engineering. However, he insisted on only taking the classes he deemed fun, such as math and science classes and his Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) courses. Ray was a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) for Mid State Flight School in Murfreesboro, TN, when he wasn’t attending class. Fortunately for Ray, he only had to take some of those other classes required for a degree due to receiving a phone call from United Airlines offering him his dream job of becoming an Airline Pilot.

On December 28, 1964, Ray began flying for United Airlines, where he enjoyed 38 years, 5 months, and 4 days of what he called the best job in the world. He flew over 22,000 hours in the Friendly Skies of United, connecting people and uniting the world in the Douglas DC-6, Boeing 727, and Boeing 777. He maintained a perfect safety record until his retirement in May 2003.

In 1966, Ray felt obligated to serve his country and enlisted in the Tennessee Air National Guard. He served as a radio repair specialist and electrical technician while achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. In 1968, he married his high school’s homecoming queen and love of his life, Betty Mason Hoover. Ray and Betty were married for 50 wonderful years before Betty preceded Ray in death in 2018. After Betty’s passing, Ray always liked to joke that he was happily married for 50 years to only one woman, not the sum total of multiples!

Ray loved to share his passion for aviation. He gave countless rides to children and members of the community. He volunteered for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles Program, flying over 300 young people in his Piper J-3 Cub. He gave numerous hours of flight instruction to so many. Several aviation careers can be directly attributed to Ray’s mentoring and role modeling including his daughter, Dianna, who he taught how to fly and is also a Captain for United Airlines.

In 2020, Ray was honored by Scouts BSA by being presented with the Good Scout Award for exemplifying the ideals of Scouts BSA as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law. In 2023, Ray was honored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, recognizing his contributions to aviation and for maintaining a perfect safety record for over 50 years of aviating.

Ray was active in the vibrant aviation community at Winchester Regional Airport and was a very active member of Southside Church of Christ on Papermill Road for 42 years.

Ray is survived by his daughter, Dianna Hoover Klein, her husband, Mark Klein, and two grandsons.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Ray on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at 10am with a service to follow at 11am at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel. Ray requested those authorized to wear an airline or military uniform are welcome to do so in his honor at the event.

In place of flowers, donations in Ray’s name can be made to the Gary Sinise Foundation via https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/donate or by mail via the address below:
Gary Sinise Foundation
PO Box 40726
Nashville, TN 37204

Dustin Gifft

Lisa (Parton) Holcomb

Carlita Drennan

Pat Brown

Cindy Willingham

Donella Barberio

Light a candle

Amherst Chapel

1600 Amherst Street

Winchester, VA 22601

Map

Saturday 1/13, 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Amherst Chapel

1600 Amherst Street

Winchester, VA 22601

Map

Saturday 1/13, 11:00 am

Memorial contributions may be made to
Gary Sinise Foundation via https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/donate or by mail via the address below:
Gary Sinise Foundation
PO Box 40726
Nashville, TN 37204

On December 18, 2023, Captain Ray. D. Hoover began his final flight to his Heavenly destination. Ray was born in 1944 in Woodbury, TN, the son of the late Issac Lehman Hoover and Kelly Alexander (White) Hoover. Raised on a small farm in Woodbury, Ray always had his eyes turned skyward during his chores. AtContinue Reading

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Dianna, Mark, and children, Steve and I were so sad to hear that Ray had passed away. We have always considered Ray and Betty our very best friends. Betty and I went to nursing school together at the University of Tennessee, and she was my maid of honor at our wedding. We were in your parents wedding in Woodbury, Tennessee. We go back more than 50 years with Betty and Ray. Our children loved Ray. He always had some entertainment for our son, Stephen, and our son still remembers the funny things your Dad did. When I was in Germany with my husband in the Army Medical Corp., your parents spent a week with us traveling thru Germany and Austria. We can remember having breakfast with Betty and Ray in Garmisch, Germany looking up at the Zugspitze Mountain (tallest mountain peak in Germany) while having a wonderful breakfast. We will always remember Betty and Ray, and we have wonderful memories of them. Will will remember you both in our prayers. Dianna, I have a gift for you. Please call Dr. Steve's office at 615-893-1615 to let me know how to send the gift to you. With love, Steve and Deloris Odom

In memory of Ray Donald Hoover, Dustin Gifft lit a candle

Dianna, you and your family are in all of our hearts. This obituary was a beautiful tribute to your dad, and I can only imagine how much you are missing him. Sending love and hugs to you.

From me and my family to you and yours, Ray…your light shone so brightly, illuminating our hearts and minds with everlasting love. While I miss your deeply encouraging friendship and presence here, I’m so happy to know you have joined our loved ones and the Lord and am courageously compelled by that ever expanding Light to re-join you all, one fine, eternal Day!

We are so very sorry, for the loving family of Ray Hoover, that he has passed away for now - until you meet again. Ray was a kind and friendly man to everyone, a loving husband to Betty and an excellent and supportive father. We met when our daughters attended Sherando together and he was always there for Diana , as her biggest fan and supporter. We admired his great parenting skills and his positive, friendly attitude. Our sympathy to his family and loving friends. Bless you, Pam and Mitch Orndorff

Peace of mind is a call away. We're here when you need us most.

Dear Dianna and Family, there are so many wonderful things to be said about your Dad. He and your Mother, we're true Christians. Faithful and true to their family, friends and church. Although our loss is different from yours,it's still a great loss. We loved him dearly and respected him greatly. But we both believe he is at peace and enjoying being reunited with Betty , his family and friends and Granddog, Chance. God speed our dear friend until we meet again. Much Love, Carroll and Charlene

I attended elementary school at Readyville TN and high School in Woodbury TN with Ray. We were neighbors and lived less than a mile apart. We were friends but not that close due to ages and different interests. Ray graduated high school a year before me and was attending MTSU and was taking flight training and working as a flight instructor at the Murfreesboro airport which was owned and operated by MTSU. When I graduated a year later, I was only seventeen which meant I was 5 months from legal working age and couldn’t find a job. Ray called one day and told me the airport in Murfreesboro needed someone to work the flight line. I explained to Ray that I didn’t have transportation and wouldn’t be able to make the daily commute which was twenty miles each way. He said that is OK you can ride with me. My working hours were from sunup to sundown which meant a long day. Ray would come by my house about 45 minutes before sunup so that I could get to the airport on time. Keep in mind that he didn’t have to get there that early on any day. He always had one or two classes in the morning and sometimes one in the afternoon. In the afternoon after class at MTSU he would come to the airport to conduct classes for his flight students. When these classes were over, he could have gone home but he would wait for me, as much as 2 hours, to get off. He did this everyday but Sunday for about 3 months until I found a job in Woodbury where I could stay with my sister and walk to work each day. We had a lot of fun and great conversations on the commute as Ray was never in a bad mood. He never charged one penny and wouldn’t accept one. I am 78 years old and have met a lot of kind and unselfish people in my life, but I know that Ray Hoover was the most unselfish person that I have ever met. When I think of Ray, I always think of the bible passage, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Rest in Peace Dear Friend.

In loving memory of a good Christian man.

Diana; Your dad was one of the first members at Southside who welcomed my wife and I to the church almost 20 years ago, and every Sunday we talked about life in general and the challenges we faced. When I suffered a major brain injury in a near fatal fall two years ago this spring, Ray checked on my recovery during the five months I spent in ICU and Rehab at Winchester Medical Center. I know that he got his wish on December 18th. He wanted to pass from this life into Eternity during his sleep. From what I hear, God granted him his wish and he now waits in Paradise with your mother for all of us. God bless you and your family. He loved each of us dearly and will be sorely missed by all of us who loved him dearly.. In Christian love, Ross and Judy Simpson,

My friendship with Ray and his family began many years ago at Southside Church of Christ in Winchester, Virginia. I quickly saw that he was an extraordinary man. He was a loving husband and father and a true patriot. He embodied the Fruit of the Spirit as set forth in the Holy Scriptures - love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. His wonderful sense of humor put everyone at ease, and he was a friend to all. He had an amazing recollection of history and, of course, aviation was a big part of his life. I feel privileged to have known Ray, and his kindness to me will live on in my memory. I extend my heartfelt condolences and love to Dianna, Mark, Mason, Caleb and Val.

My friend, neighbor, and fellow animal lover, you will be missed. Thoughts and Prayers to the family.

In memory of Ray Donald Hoover, Cindy Willingham lit a candle

I will tremendously miss Ray! He was a one-of-a-kind man. He was kind, thoughtful, generous, faithful, and of course a wonderful sense of humor. He was loved by everyone at his church, Southside church of Christ in Winchester. I'm confident, the Lord has prepared a place for him in heaven! Tom Davis

Ray was a one-of-a-kind man! He was an inspiration to all of his church family. He was an example of Christian kindness, humility, generosity, faith, and of course, a great sense of humor. I will miss him tremendously. But I'm confident in the promise of the Lord, that there is a place prepared in heaven for Ray! Tom Davis

I’m so sorry to hear. We Lost a Good one. The Angels are so happy to have an angelic man. God Speed

Found this poem which makes me think of Ray and his impressive dash. The Dash Poem (By Linda Ellis) I read of a man who stood to speak At the funeral of a friend He referred to the dates on the tombstone From the beginning...to the end He noted that first came the date of birth And spoke the following date with tears, But he said what mattered most of all Was the dash between those years For that dash represents all the time That they spent alive on earth. And now only those who loved them Know what that little line is worth For it matters not, how much we own, The cars...the house...the cash. What matters is how we live and love And how we spend our dash. So, think about this long and hard. Are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left That can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough To consider what's true and real And always try to understand The way other people feel. And be less quick to anger And show appreciation more And love the people in our lives Like we've never loved before. If we treat each other with respect And more often wear a smile, Remembering this special dash Might only last a little while So, when your eulogy is being read With your life's actions to rehash... Would you be proud of the things they say About how you spent YOUR dash?

I will always remember Ray's great kindness to Henry & myself during Henry's long battle with cancer. Especially giving Henry his first flight. My deepest sympathy to his family & many friends. He will be missed more than words can express. God bless you all!

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.