Thelma Louise Hooven, our beloved mother, granny, great-granny and sister went home to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and was reunited with her mom, dad, sisters and brother on September 26, 2020. She passed peacefully and beautifully from Alzheimer’s at 6:31 a.m. with her daughters by her side.

Mom was born in Stillwell, Oklahoma to Eugene and Grace Kelley on May 11, 1937. Mom was the oldest of six kids. At the young age of nine years old, mom was driving tractor and picking cotton on the family farm in Oklahoma and then Colorado before making their final move to Rohnerville.

Mom was a homemaker who raised five children and loved sewing, quilting, gardening and finding a good deal at garage sales. Mom took pride in her sewing and made dresses for her mother to wear to church. Many of these dresses were on display at Sprouse Ritz in Fortuna. She made her children and grandchildren keepsake quilts that we will cherish forever. You would always find Mom in her garden “digging in the dirt” as she would say, planting vegetables, flowers and pulling up weeds. Her flower garden was so beautiful that the community would line up and drive by to see it when it was in full bloom.

Mom loved the outdoors in general and spent many hours fishing with her father and late husband, Don. After her husband passed away, the Lord blessed Mom with a very special friend, Joyce Matthis. The two were inseparable. They both loved to read and would exchange books they got at garage sales, which was an every Saturday outing. Mom had a loving and caring nature that led her to open the Hooven Family Day Care that she ran for 25 years; much of the time with the assistance of her daughter-in-law, Kendra. We were blessed that our children were able to be in day care with their granny. Mom was not only granny to our children, but to the other children she cared for as well. Many of them still consider her their granny to this day.

Mom came to know her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, after her mother passed away and realized that there was no one praying for her and her family anymore. Her love for Jesus led her to become a member of the Nazarene church and be baptized. Her love for children led her to become a Sunday School Teacher and to care for the infants in the nursery. After Mom’s retirement, she was able to take the trip of a lifetime to Thailand with her daughter and son-in-law to see her son, who was living there at the time. The highlight of the trip was when she got to ride an elephant. That was her favorite story to tell.

Mom’s greatest joy came from her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She would light up when they came to visit her and loved sharing and teaching them her hobbies and her love for Jesus Christ.

Mom is survived by her children: Son Russell Campbell, grandson Kent (Carrie) Campbell, great-grandchildren Lane, Paisley Campbell, grandson Chad Campbell great-grandson Logan Campbell. Son Scott (Liz) Campbell, grandson James (Tiffany) Blake. Son John (Becci) Hooven, grandson Matthew Hooven. Daughter Cindy (Lars) Burnside, grandson Lars (Audri) Burnside III, great grandchildren Larson, Emma, Liam Burnside, granddaughter Nicole (Michael) Woodruff, great-grandchildren Ridley, Sawyer Woodruff, granddaughter Kelsie (Boden) Lipscomb, great-grandchildren Brayden, Kynslie, Keely Lipscomb. Daughter Jolene Lyons, grandson Christopher (Alicia) Dana, granddaughter Tiffany (Steve) Ritsch, great grandchildren Cammy Satterthwaite, Brooklyn Ritsch. Mom is also survived by her loving sisters Atha (Ernie) Pantel, Doris (Larry) Akin and her very special sister-in-law Dee Kelley Vining and many nieces and nephews.

Please come and join us as we celebrate Mom’s life at The Church of the Nazarene on Ross Hill Road in Fortuna on Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 1 o’clock. The celebration will include a pot luck, so if you would like, please bring a side dish (main dish is provided) and your favorite flower as we celebrate the wonderful life of Thelma Louise Hooven.

The family of Thelma Hooven wishes to send our sincerest thanks and appreciation to Pace, Hospice, Sequoia Springs, and Sequoia Springs Memory Care. There are no words that can convey our deepest gratitude for the love and compassion you gave to our mother and for the kindness and support you gave to us. Thank you.

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