Hoover

Martin Verel “Bud” Hoover, 89, of Mercer Township passed away at 4:25 p.m. Thursday at the Good Samaritan Hospice in Cabot.

He was born Aug. 14, 1924, in Hilliards to Albert Sherman Hoover and Catherine Elizabeth Hilliard Hoover.

He married Ella Elizabeth Castor on March 12, 1948.

He was a U.S. Army veteran, having served in World War II and having fought in the Battle of the Bulge with the 99th Division as a machine-gunner.

He worked in the Pittsburgh and Erie Mine at Claytonia, where he initially worked hand loading and later on an automatic “duck bill” loader. He was a member of Local 2274 Carpenters and Joiners Union out of Pittsburgh. He worked on heavy construction throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia for more than 50 years. He worked on the “highest bridge,” the Emlenton Bridge, working on the top parts.

“Bud” was a member of the Harrisville United Methodist Church, the VFW Post 6231 of Slippery Rock and the American Legion Post 474 of Zelienople. He enjoyed watching baseball, hunting and, earlier in life, roller skating.

He is survived by his wife, Ella Hoover; four sons, Randy Lee and his companion, Anna Belle Eichler, of Zelienople, Michael James and his wife, Vivian Hoover, of Glide, Ore., Richard Lynn and his wife, Diane Hoover, of Slippery Rock and Martin Joe and his wife, Karen Hoover, of Prospect; one daughter, Lori Rae Farris of Niceville, Fla.; four brothers, Walter L. and his wife, Jean Hoover, of Unionville, Thomas R. Hoover of Slippery Rock, Raymond L. Hoover and his companion, Bonnie, of Portersville and Lonnie “John” G. and his wife, Martina Hoover, of Portersville; one sister, Nonnie J. “Sissy” Hoover of Texas; seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Ernest, Albert, Arthur and Gill; and four sisters, Ciara C. Meals, Faye M. Tackett, Alma J. “Sis” McCall and Lydia K. Barry.

HOOVER — The family of Martin Verel “Bud” Hoover, who died Thursday, March 6, 2014, will receive friends at the Smith Funeral Home, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock, on Monday from 3 p.m. until the time of the service at 6 p.m. with the Rev. Willard Morse, former pastor of the Harrisville United Methodist Church, officiating.Interment will take place at Slippery Rock Cemetery.