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Photo of Gary L. Hoveland

Gary L. Hoveland

2/7/1950 - 5/11/2019


Obituary


Gary L. Hoveland, 69, of Kanawha, passed away Saturday, May 11, 2019 at MercyOne North Iowa Hospice in Mason City.

Memorial services for Gary Hoveland will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 10:30 AM at Kanawha United Methodist Church, 402 North Main Street in Kanawha, with Pastor Mark Heath officiating.  Graveside services will be at Amsterdam Township Cemetery in Kanawha.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at Ewing Funeral Home, 118 East Second Street in Kanawha, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday.

Gary Lee Hoveland, the son of Orville and Helen (Jensen) Hoveland, was born February 7, 1950 and raised on the family farm near Kanawha. He grew up around the area and graduated from Corwith High School in 1968.

After high school, Gary worked two years at Winnebago. He enlisted in The United States Army on April 5th, 1970 serving in Viet Nam before being honorably discharged on November 6th, 1971.

After his service, Gary married Charleen “Chuck” Gerdis on April 21, 1972. To this union two children were born, Nik and Jim. The couple later divorced.

Gary later met Jean (Collins) Kitley while working at the Kanawha Community Home. The couple married on September 18, 1998 at the Kanawha Methodist Church and completed the family by adding her three daughters, Tiffany, Ashley and Kirsten.

Gary’s other jobs included North Central Co-op and H&H Construction. Being well crafted in woodworking, carpentry was Gary’s biggest joy. He could make anything from shelves, toy boxes, and gifts for the grandchildren. He enjoyed working on rental houses with his father and remodeling his family home. No matter what the project was at hand, Gary was a perfectionist. Just ask the lawn!

You could find Gary cruising around town, adding up his Yesway points to get the Kanawha Community Home nurses candy bars and dropping off breakfast to his daughters. He would often sneak plums off the trees while mowing. He enjoyed Westerns, 50’s and 60’s music, playing cards, and his “unwanted” cats.

He loved his blended family, spending time with his grandchildren, giving them rides to school even though it was only a block from home and time with the children in his garage.

Gary is survived by his wife, Jean Hoveland of Kanawha; children Nik Hoveland of Plano, Texas, Jim “Buzz” (Michelle) Hoveland of Kanawha, second father to Tiffany (Cody) Cartee of Kanawha, Ashley Kitley (friend Ryan) of Grundy Center, Iowa and Kirsten Kitley of Kanawha; grandchildren Brookyln Kleinman, Mya and Nick Hoveland, Aubrey and Haylee Terwilliger; mother Helen Hoveland; siblings Bob (Linda) Hoveland, Smiley Hoveland and Jeannie (Steve) Cornelius along with many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father Orville and his favorite cat, Maxwell.