Gloria Hoover

Gloria Hoover, retired teaching assistant and seamstress, transitioned on September 23, 2024, at her assisted living residence in Columbus, Georgia. She’d resided in Columbus since evacuating from New Orleans for Hurricane Ida in August 2021. Gloria was born on July 22, 1932, in New Orleans to Ellen Wilson and Michael Williams. She was raised in part by her grandmother, Ora Wilson, in Uptown New Orleans. She went to R. T. Dannell Elementary School and was a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. She was a valued member of the paraprofessional teaching staffs of Lafayette and Lusher Elementary Schools. She was also a devoted volunteer at the gift shop of Ochsner Hospital in New Orleans. She was a very talented seamstress and craftswoman, being very generous with her time by teaching others her love of arts and crafts. She was the devoted wife of 32 years to the late Reverend Thomas Hoover, Jr and loving mother to Toni Hoover and Lizell Hoover Jones. She supported her husband’s ministry as the First Lady at Shaw Temple and Williams United Methodist Churches in New Orleans. She enjoyed designing and sewing her daughters’ clothing, crafting, baking, bowling and fellowship with family and church members. While being covered by New Birth Outreach Church in Columbus (Pastor Carlos Coleman), she recommitted her life to Christ with a baptismal on January 19, 2024. She is survived by her daughters, Dr. Toni Hoover (Alfred Nettles) and Lizell Hoover Jones (Nate Jones); her brother, Frank Dennison (Gerrie Savoie); her grandson, Warren Steele III (Maria Liotta) and great-granddaughter, Shiloh Jade Steele; nieces, Amanda Dennison-Roberts (Tony Roberts), Stephanie Dennison-Casmere (Ronald Casmere), Lana Dennison-Evans (Brian Evans), Ashley Dennison-Sheppard (Kolin Sheppard); nephew, Floyd Williams (Donna Francis), and numerous grand nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Thomas Hoover, Jr; her mother, Ellen Williams Dennison; her father, Michael Williams; her brothers, Arthur Williams and Floyd Williams. There will be a committal service at the grave site at Lake Lawn Park Cemeteries and Mausoleums at 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard in New Orleans, Louisiana on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 1:00 pm. Services will be provided by Rhodes Funeral Home. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the online guestbook. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Gloria Hoover to Emmanuel Preparatory School of Math and Science, 10107 Veterans Parkway, Midland, GA 31820.