Martha Hoover

Martha Jo "Joby" (Holden) Hoover, a beloved teacher, musician, and devoted family woman, passed away peacefully on September 18, 2025, in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 95. Born on April 9, 1930, in West Union, West Virginia, she was the youngest child of Theodore Holden and Martha Lena Lough. Her life was a testament to faith, determination, and an unwavering commitment to her family and community.

Martha's early years were spent in the rolling hills of West Virginia. She attended a one-room schoolhouse for grades 1 through 8 before graduating as valedictorian from Doddridge County High School. Her passion for learning and music led her to Otterbein University in Ohio, where she majored in music and voice. Later, she pursued further education in elementary education at Wright State University in Ohio. These academic pursuits laid the foundation for a lifelong career in teaching.

Martha began her teaching career with a selfless act of love: using her salary to support her husband, Robert E. Hoover, as he earned his master's degree in divinity school. She went on to teach music to students from kindergarten through high school and served as an elementary teacher for grades K-8 in northern Ohio and the Dayton area. In her later years, she became a long-term substitute teacher in Kettering, Ohio, where she pioneered a special learning program that left a lasting impact on her students.

A gifted musician, Martha was self-taught on the piano before receiving formal training in college. Her talent and spirit were evident during her missionary trips as a young woman when she traveled to remote hamlets in the mountains of West Virginia with her church group. It was said that her spirited playing could make a piano rock during those mission trips. She shared her love of music throughout her life by giving piano lessons to neighborhood children and performing as a mezzo-soprano soloist at churches across the region. Her final public solo voice performance took place in her late 60s—a testament to her enduring passion for music. She had perfect pitch all her life, even ehile suffeting Alzheimers.

Martha was deeply rooted in her faith and cherished her church family at First Baptist Church of Centerville, Ohio, where she was a member for over 50 years. She dedicated herself to writing the entire curriculum for the children's Sunday school program and often expressed how much she valued the unconditional love and acceptance found within her church community.

In addition to her professional and musical accomplishments, Martha was a woman of many talents and interests. She was an active member of the Women's Quilting Club and Horticulture Club in Jamestown, Ohio. A skilled cook and baker, she grew and canned her own vegetables and mastered the art of making "ribbles," a traditional dish. Her culinary curiosity even led her to drive from Dayton back to West Virginia just to acquire salt-rising bread—a delicacy she admired but had not yet mastered making herself.

Martha also found joy in scrapbooking and preserving memories for future generations. Her gentle Southern charm and resourcefulness were evident in everything she did. Those who knew her often remarked that there was nothing she set her mind to that she couldn't accomplish.

Above all else, Martha cherished her family. She is survived by her four children: daughters Dawn Cretsos and Kim Stahl; sons Brad Hoover and R. Preston Hoover; as well as seven grandchildren: Jacob, Laura, Ryan, Kevin, Alex, Nathan, and Benjamin. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of many years, Robert E. Hoover (M.Div., M.Ed.), who passed away on August 30, 2014.

Martha believed strongly in the importance of family values and partnership within marriage. Though she held that the husband should be the head of the household, it was later observed by one of her sons that "she was the neck that turned that head." Her humility shone brightly throughout her life—she never boasted about herself nor spoke ill of others.

Martha Jo "Joby" Hoover leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, music, education, and service that will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing her. May her memory bring comfort to those who mourn her passing while celebrating a life so richly lived.