Obituary of William F. Hoover
William Frederick “Bill” Hoover passed away on February 17, 2021.
He was born on Staten Island, NY on January 3, 1948. In 1950, he moved with his parents Edgar G. and Carolyn Yawger Hoover to Garwood, NJ.
As soon as he was old enough, he got “working papers”, and started washing pots and pans at Tillie’s Restaurant. From shoveling snow to cleaning debris out of the creek, there wasn’t a job he wasn’t willing to do. One of his favorite jobs was working at Nick’s Pizzeria.
He graduated from Arthur L. Johnson Regional High School and immediately joined The United States Coast Guard. He expected to spend his time taking the small boat out, putting an “Out of Service” sign up and fishing in Shark River Inlet. But, Vietnam happened. He volunteered to go for the good of our Country. He served aboard the USCGC Point Orient and Point Gammon, and spotted the first gun fire that the USS New Jersey put out. The primary job of his unit was to patrol the rivers (think “Apocalypse Now”). When he returned from Vietnam, he finished his service at Captain of the Port New York.
In September, 1970, Bill started his career with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as a Buildings and Grounds attendant at The Holland Tunnel. In January 1971, he received his appointment to The Port Authority Police Department. He was an instructor at The Police Academy; K-9 Co-coordinator and head of Manpower Planning. The best years of his career was time spent at PATH as a patrolman, Sergeant, and Lieutenant. PATH was the epitome of the term “brotherhood”.
In January 1996, he retired and relocated to Las Vegas, NV.
He attended night school for seven and one-half years, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from The College of New Jersey (previously Trenton State College).
Of special note, after 9/11, he drove back to New Jersey and worked “The Pile”. He also returned to Manpower Planning, and created the schedules for the PAPD officers. He was one of 99 retirees who returned to “help out”.
He is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Libby; his rescue dog, Gracie; nephew and adopted daughter, Ed and Laine Sigmund; his brother, James; his aunts, Doris Woolsey and Clara Schutz; his cousins Barbara Imbimbo, Paul Brookes, Carol Parise, Elsie Donohue, Eileen Donohue; many second and third cousins.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 10AM in the McCriskin – Gustafson Home for Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Avenue South Plainfield NJ 07080, followed by burial in Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains.
Family and friends may gather in the funeral home on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 from 2-4PM and 7-9PM.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the following organizations:
USCG Mutual Aid Assistance, N. Glebe Road, suite 220, Arlington, VA 22201-5718
Widows and Children’s Fund, c/o PA PBA, 611 Palisade Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
Vegas Shepherd Rescue, 2620 Regatta Drive, Suite 102, Las Vegas, NV 89128