Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
Gernon Hoover met his future bride, Myrtle May Kiracofe, at a lawn party. With her long black hair, he thought she was the prettiest thing he laid eyes on. They married July 7, 1956 in Staunton, Virginia, making that their home thereafter. She earned her bachelor of science degree from James Madison University, being the first in her family to earn a degree.
Myrtle was a dynamic force within her classroom, in both Augusta County Public Schools and Staunton City Schools. Her primary goal in teaching was to build positive relationships with parents, students and colleagues. She always told her students that education was something you earned and no one could take it away from you. Myrtle was a good administrator, whose students were so well behaved…so well that others who came into contact with them were overjoyed with their respect and demeanor in general. She took delight teaching her nieces and nephews when they came to visit. Her great niece, Elizabeth Scott (John), mentioned in conversation that Myrtle was the reason she loved school. She even kept up with Elizabeth’s children, JW and Katie, all through school and celebrated their many milestones.
Upon her 1989 retirement after 35 years, she and her husband, Gernon, moved back to the West Virginia mountains to build their “dream house” near the Doe Hill, Virginia, location where she was born to the late Jesse Booker and Viola Roxie Botkin Karicofe. Her siblings were Dorothy McCray, Laura Stuart, and Gilbert Botkin.
Myrtle was gifted in so many areas. She was stylish with her dress and jewelry, and she enjoyed cooking as her many entrees, baked goods, and her hummingbird cake can attest to that. She loved to travel to Hawaii, Nova Scotia, Mt. Rushmore, New Orleans, Niagara Falls, Outer Banks (especially Nags Head and Hatteras).
Most of all, Myrtle enjoyed making the soil beautiful. Her landscaping designs, always with a vision, could win The Better Homes and Gardens competition. Gernon mostly did the shoveling bit, with Bob’s intervention at times, and Myrtle truly enjoying the magic of nature. So much beauty was all around their dream home. She enjoyed sharing slips of flowers with anyone who wished to also have beautiful flowers.
Myrtle was well read, keeping abreast with the world goings-on. Music was always added into the mix, as well as word searches. She was a very giving person, donating generously to many charitable causes.
Pastors Paul and Sherri Shafer performed her service Friday at McDowell, Virginia. They summed up her life so well with the hymn, sung so beautifully by Pastor Paul: “I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses, And the voice I hear, Falling on my ear, The Son of God discloses. And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other, has ever known.”
To Gernon and the family, sympathy is extended as memories are held dear to the heart for Myrtle, to that of a 94-year-old life well lived.
The Hoover sandwich recipe: It is composed of (from bottom up): bread with generous amounts of mayonnaise slathered; jalapeño peppers, onion, two slices of ham, bologna, longhorn cheese, tomato, dill pickle stackers, and another slice of heavily slathered mayonnaise on bread. (This is best using white bread if possible). It is always served with Doritos.
Life’s little daily instructions include the following:
- Always signal when changing lanes.
- Flush in public restrooms
- Don’t stare at people in public.
- Give up one’s seat to someone who needs it more.
- Clean one’s crumbs after eating.
Intermittent showers are very much appreciated, with wishes for more. The area is quite dry, perhaps challenging Upper Tract for being the driest section of the state.
Friday evening brought in colder winds which resulted with Saturday morning temperatures dipping to 33. Br-r-r! It does make for great sleeping conditions.
This week’s quotes are as follows: “Dost thou love life? Then do not slander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.” — Benjamin Franklin “If people think you are this amazing, own it.” — David Chang “Life brings tears, smiles and memories. The tears dry, the smiles fade, but the memories last forever.” — Unknown “Take only what you need and leave the land as you found it.” — Indian proverb “Experience is the teacher of all things.” — Julius Ceasar
Sitting by the fireplace is where one wants to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
Last Wednesday, Phil Downs motored to northern Virginia for a high school luncheon. There were 64 years of memories as he visited with the class president, and a classmate he had known since third grade.
Saturday, Ben Puffenbarger, along with his parents, Wesley and Becky, and siblings, Emma and Nathan, motored to Keyser. Ben competed in the Jim Turbin Memorial Invitational Track and Field meet. Pendleton County Wildcats placed third out of eight schools.
Helen and Rhonda Nash enjoyed a pre-Mother’s Day visit from Todd Nash and Terri and Greg Lowery, who came bearing beautiful hanging basket gifts for mom. Rhonda was also gifted with hours of yardwork help from her brother and brother-in-law. Helen and Rhonda had a quiet Mother’s Day together at home, enjoying just resting, relaxing, and reading.
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows: Chickens, in the wild, navigate using the sun. Sorcery-related violence is still happening in Papua, New Guinea. There are 574 federally recognized American Indian tribes. Pitcairn Island’s population is 50. Fiji is made up of 333 islands, but just 110 are inhabited.
More May birthdays include Norma Cunningham and Logan Godfrey, 17th; Sharon Jamison and Andrea Williams, 18th; Nancy Pultz, 19th; Charlie Burgoyne, 20th; Cynthia Hurry, 24th; Alma Mallow, 25th; Skyler Grogg, 26th; Dani Ruth Hoover, 28th; and Cooper Collins, 29th.
Concerns are for Charles Anderson, John Ashley, Roger Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Dave Basagic, Allen Beachler, Liz and Mick Bodkin, “Bo” Boggs, Joyce Calhoun, the Mario Claro family, Marie Cole, Ruth Craig, Stanley Dahmer, Jennifer Errett, Isaac Eye, Carl Gant, David Gillispie, Patsy Green, JC Hammer, Sharon Harr, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Hannah Hedrick, Jack and Starr Hedrick, George Hevener, Chuck and Tracy Hiett, Jim Hiner, Evan Hise, Tim Hively, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Julia Homan, Keith Hoover, the Myrtle Hoover family, Debbie Horst, Linda Jones, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, Tom and Kim Kline, Tracie Knight, Larua Kropp, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Rex Landis, Donna Mallow, Roger and Skip Mallow, Audree Marsh, Anna Mauzy, Ed May, Gene and Joan McConnell, Gary McDonald, Neil McLaughlin, the Brandon McMillen family, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Tom Mitchell, Barbara Moats, Gloria Moats, Jim Moats, Helen Nash, Rick Neil, Aaron Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryl Paine, Terri Parker, Andy Pond, Janice Propst, Alda Propst, Marilyn Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, Virginia Propst, Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger, Tom Rader, Willard Rader, Brandon Reel, Jason Rexrode, Jimmy Rexrode, Linda Fay Rexrode, Brittany Shiver, Annie Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Greg Simmons, Judy Simmons, Nelson Simmons, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, Ed and Carolyn Smith, Natalie Stephenson, Tina Stuben, Steve Stump, Linda and Larry Vandevander, Sandra Vandevander, Amy Vaus, Estelle and Don Wagner, Mary Louise Waldschlager, Amby Waybright, Jr., Michael Waybright, Rene White, Sherry Wilfong, Judy Williams and Ann and Ed Wimer.
