Arlene Louise HOOVER

HOOVER, Arlene Louise (nee Scheetz) Died December 23rd, 2015 in Sonoma, CA. She was 90 years old. Arlene was born in Youngstown, Ohio on March 2, 1925. She met her future husband, Bill Hoover, while ice skating on a blind date during high school. His courtship involved swooping his small plane over her strict Catholic boarding school to terrify the nuns (much to her delight). She attended Trinity College in Washington, DC, before returning to work in her father's lumber yard. Arlene married Bill at age 24, after his return from Naval service in World War II. They moved to Ithaca, NY where she worked as a loan officer and he studied for his PhD in biochemistry at Cornell. The couple moved to California, where Bill taught college courses and later obtained his medical degree at UC Irvine. During that time, they gave birth to their only daughter. The family moved every few years as a result of Bill's medical career, while Arlene kept things lively at home. The consummate entertainer, Arlene once led a Christmas caroling party around their Fresno neighborhood -- in mid-July. Arlene loved socializing with friends and family, entertaining others with her self-deprecating wit and mischievous streak. She was also a worrier, albeit one with perspective and humor. If you arrived five minutes late to pick her up, you'd find her pacing the sidewalk in front of her house. On the other hand, she was unflappable when most would panic. For example, during a dinner party she accidentally baked her chocolate mousse while leaving the chicken entree completely raw. Rather than dwelling on the disaster, she simply laughed and ordered takeout. The happiest time in her life followed her move to Sonoma, CA in 1988 to be with her daughter, Betsy Nova, son-in-law, Peter, and future grandchildren, Jenny and Phil. Her grandchildren were a constant source of pride and joy, and they loved spending afternoons playing in her backyard. Even the family's dog would cry when the time came to return home. Arlene made many treasured friends in Sonoma and was known for her skills at tennis and bridge and her impeccable sense of style -- even in the final days of her battle with cancer she wore pearls and had her blonde hair coiffed. Given the chance, she would dine out every night of the week with family and friends. Her favorite outing was a ferry ride to San Francisco for Oysters Rockefeller and a gin martini. Cheerful, stoic, sharp, and brave: she was a role model and inspiration to those who knew her. She will be sorely missed. A celebration of Arlene's life will be held on Saturday, January 16th, at 1:30 p.m. at MacArthur Place in Sonoma.