THELMA M. HOOVER-McGEE

Thelma May Hoover-McGee, 88, Wasilla, died on Aug. 23, 2010, with many of her children and grandchildren by her side.

A memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at Big Lake Baptist Church, 10864 W. Parks Hwy., Big Lake.

Thelma was born Sept. 4, 1921 in Severance, Kan., to Elmer and Verna (Skinner) Rittenhouse.

She lived in Kansas and married her high school sweetheart Garland Hoover, later moving to Arizona and raising her family in Parker, Ariz., where she lived until her health made it necessary to move closer to her daughter.

Her family wrote, “Thelma was a wonderful moother and grandmother. She had a heart big enough to fit in everyone who ever needed her and she truly did just that.”

She was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Garland Hoover, and then by her second husband, Troy McGee.

She is survived by her children Jerry Hoover of South Carolina; Gary Hoover of Phoenix, Ariz.; David (Colleen) Hoover of Victorville, Calif.; Jeanette (John) Eberling of Blythe, Calif.; Michael Hoover of San Jose, Calif., and Carolina (Tommy) Starr-Bates of Wasilla; her grandchildren Jackie Leseman, Larry Star, Johnny Eblering, Janene Duffy, Jamie Eblering, Tammy Arrowsmith, Jared Hoover, Lindy Hoover, Dustin Hoover, Debbie Hoover, Ben Hoover, Lisa Koch, Sarah Hoover and Nick Hoover, and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home and Crematory in Wasilla