Rufus Martin Hoover

Rufus Martin Hoover, 99, of Lititz, and formerly of Sarasota, FL, passed away peacefully on July 25, 2026. Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Noah and Lydia (Martin) Hoover. He would have been married 50 years to his beloved wife Laura (Wenger) Hoover until her passing in 2017.

Rufus lived on his family farm and helped his dad farm until his 30's. During the time while living on the farm in the summer of 1946 he served on SS Adrian Victory attending to livestock being sent to Greece to replace those lost by European farmers during the war. In the mid-1960s after his family stopped farming, he moved to Sarasota, Florida. It was there that he and Laura started dating, and later she moved to Florida to be with him. They married and raised their two children, Joy and Kevin. He then became a carpenter and spent many years in carpentry, and in the 70's he briefly owned a health food store.

Rufus enjoyed doing puzzles and more specifically, never missed the puzzles in the Sunday newspaper. He was a talented artist and painted several paintings and took pride in gardening and tending to his yard. He was a member of Ashton Mennonite Church in Sarasota, FL, and more recently a member of Mountville Mennonite Church for 24 years.

Rufus is survived by his son Kevin Hoover (Beth), 3 grandchildren: Andrew, Alissa, and Aidan Hoover; sisters Edna Parr and Beatrice Weber, and son-in-law Brian Boone. He was predeceased by his daughter Joy Boone, brother Titus Hoover, and sisters Anna Mary Herr, Mable Snavely, and Verna Graybill.

A memorial service will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Mountville Mennonite Church, 205 Froelich Ave, Mountville, PA 17554. The family will receive guests from 9:30-10:30 AM. Interment will be private and at the family's convenience.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions in Rufus's name to Hospice & Community Care, 685 Good Drive, Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604.