Hovis

Jack B. Hovis, 78, of Cochranton, Crawford County, died Monday at his home.

Born Dec. 26, 1928, in Coch-ranton, he was the son of Burton B. and Goldie M. Weaver Hovis.

He was a 1946 graduate of Cochranton High School and attended Grove City College until he signed a minor-league baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Mr. Hovis retired in 1987 as an engineer for the Erie Lackawanna Railroad (Conrail) after 40 years.

During the Korean War, he served as an Army corporal.

He was a member of the Cochranton Presbyterian Church. He also was a member of Cochranton Masonic Lodge 790, Scottish Rite Valley of the New Castle Consistory, the Crawford County Shrine Club and Motor Patrol, Zem Zem Shrine Temple, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Meadville Club, Cochranton Area Sportsmen's Club, Sheffield Rod and Gun Club, BPO Elks Lodge 219, American Legion Post 836 of Cochranton, where he was a former post commander, the Passe Chef De Gare of 40&8 Voiture 462, the Taylor Hose, Eagles Aerie 429 and the Cochranton Volunteer Fire Department. He also was secretary and treasurer of the Cochranton Hunting Club.He was an avid golfer and enjoyed many trips to play at Myrtle Beach, S.C. He enjoyed fishing and hunting at the hunting camp in Lynch, Forest County. He also enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.Surviving are his wife, Joy Ann Rieger, whom he married Dec. 29, 1960; two sons, Jack Burton Hovis Jr. and his wife, Toni, of Meadville and Stuart J. Hovis of Groton, Conn.; two grandchildren, Samantha and Troy Hovis; a half sister, Barbara A. McAllister of Lexington, Ky.; and three nephews.He was preceded in death by his grandparents with whom he was raised; a sister, Marian Winters; and a brother, John B. Hovis.

<B>HOVIS </B>— Friends of Jack B. Hovis, who died Monday, Nov. 26, 2007, will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the <B>Dickson Family Funeral Home</B>, 123 S. Franklin St., Cochranton. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. J. Harvey Boal, his church pastor, officiating. Burial will be at the Cochranton Cemetery with military honors conducted by the Cochranton American Legion Post 836.The Cochranton American Legion will hold a memorial service at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.Cochranton Masonic Lodge 790 will hold a Masonic service at 6 p.m. Wednesday.Memorial donations may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Erie.Condolences can be e-mailed to dicksonfuneralhome@alltel.net.