Gordon Hoven

1942 - 2025

Our inspiring and resilient husband, dad, and friend, Gordon E. Hoven passed away peacefully September 08, 2025. He was born August 13, 1942, in Plentywood Montana to Gordon Ellsworth and Madeline Renee (Daly) Hoven and graduated as a Blue Pony from Havre High in 1960.

Gordon was a voracious reader and amateur historian. The small, one bathroom house he was raised in with his parents and three siblings was filled with books, curiosity, and verve. He played on the ballfields directly across the street, where he fostered a lifelong appreciation for sports, particularly baseball with its history and nuances. Later in life Gordon would coach his sons' and nephews' Babe Ruth baseball teams with his brother and best friend, Dan. He would even make trips to Wisconsin to watch his grandnephew Charlie's baseball tournaments. This authentic Montana upbringing served as the bones for his value system. He graduated with a History degree from the University of Montana in 1964, and soon after in 1965 was drafted into the Army and served in the Vietnam War. He was part of the 4th infantry division from 1966-1967, spending six months in a valley outside Quy Nhon and six months North of Pleiku. After his tour he moved to Detroit, MI with a fellow veteran and worked for the United Parcel Service. There he became a Detroit Tigers fan after watching the team win the 1968 World Series.

Gordon moved back to Montana in 1969 and worked at the Federal State Coordinator Office under Governor Forrest Anderson, where he met several lifelong friends. But the biggest reward of his return was meeting the love of his life, Bette "BJ" Tintinger post-rodeo dancing at the Silver Spur Bar. They would marry, raise a family, and spend the next several decades dancing, exploring the majesty of Montana, and traveling throughout the US and abroad to places such as Ireland, Belize, Costa Rica, Greece and Italy. He would retire after 25 years as an Underwriter of Municipal Bonds for Piper Jaffray in 2012.

An epic storyteller, with a wonderful sense of humor, he had a deep love and appreciation for his family and friends, as well as a genuine curiosity in others. This inquisitive nature led to many special connections. We will miss this part of him tremendously.

Gordon had many medical hardships spanning a good part of his adult life. No matter how brutal the hand he was dealt, he never let it get the best of him - not once. He was tough, determined, and courageous, and let go of life as gracefully as he lived it.

He is preceded in death by his beloved son, Gordon R. Hoven, his parents, his sweet sisters Mary (Schulze) and Renee Hoven, his dear sister-in-law Barbara (Barry) Hoven, brother-in-law Steve Schulze, and niece Kristin Schulze.

He is survived by his fiercest advocate and beautiful wife, BJ, his son Patrick (Becky), grandson Calvin, daughter Erica (Rob Kane) Hoven, brother Dan (Jamie Wilkins) Hoven, sister-in-laws June (John) Sine, Jan Magee, nephews Derek (Katie) Hoven, Mike (Camille) Hoven, Neil (Melissa) Sine, Pat (Heidi) Sine, Jimmy (Doreen) Magee, Ryan (Trish) Magee, nieces Brook Powell, Amber (Sunjay) Shah, Erin (Robert) Martin, and Shawna Shulze, along with numerous grandnieces and grandnephews.

The family suggests memorials to AAUW Renee Hoven Memorial Scholarship Endowment, P.O. Box 1691, Havre, MT 59501 or Helena American Legion Baseball, P.O. Box 1944, Helena, MT 59624 or Free Yoga for Veterans, https://yogainaction.org.

We warmly invite you to share in a celebration of life service Friday, September 19 at 1:00 p.m. at Simple Cremation 315 E. 6th Street, Helena, MT 59601.