Alva Hovis, 93, passed away on Thursday January 30, 2020 at 12:05 am at Loogootee Nursing Center.
He was born in Center Township, Martin County Indiana on December 21, 1926 to Ivan L. and Nora May
(Walker) Hovis.
He was a US Merchant Marine veteran of WWII serving from 1942 to 1946, sailing in
both the North Atlantic and Pacific theaters. (He lied about his age in order to join at age 16.) He was
drafted into the US Army in 1950 and served as in infantryman in Korea during 1951-52. In 1957 he was
selected as an Air Defense Warrant Officer and supported the primary Army air defense systems, Nike
Ajax, Nike Hercules, and HAWK. He served in the Army until June 1972, retiring as a Chief Warrant
Officer W-4. He completed overseas tours in France, Korea, and the Republic of China (Taiwan). He
received numerous awards during his military career but often remarked that the only one that really
meant anything to him was his Combat Infantryman Badge. After retirement from the Army, he started
a successful excavating and trenching business in Shoals and later worked as a contract postal carrier. He
was a lifelong active Republican and conducted an unsuccessful campaign for Martin County Sheriff in
1978.
Alva loved camping, traveling to Arizona and Montana to visit his brothers and fishing. Fish trembled at
his name. In his later years he enjoyed sitting at the story tellers table at Velma’s, eating chicken at RJ’s
and Bo Macs, feeding dog biscuits to strays, and traveling. He was a member of the National Rifle
Association, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ivan and Nora Hovis, his brothers; Clay Hovis, Norman Hovis
and Delmar Hovis (who died in infancy), his sister Donna June and his old cat Sunshine.
He is survived by his sons; Alan (Terri) Hovis and Michael (Cheryl) Hovis, his daughters; Karol Hovis, Kim Hovis,
grandchildren; Valerie and Sam Hovis, Garret and Levi Tedrow, Kendall Hovis, Tanner and Sage Hovis – Johnson, Alex
Gerkin, and great-grandchildren Miguel Tedrow, Juniper Tedrow, Eleanor June Harner, and Romy King.
A graveside service and military rites will be held on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 1:00 P.M at the Hickory Ridge Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Martin County Humane Society.
Condolences may be made online at www.blakefuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements were provided by Blake Funeral Home in Loogootee.
