Roll Call Tribute

John E. Hoover
January 9, 1938 - April 25, 2017

“I got a call that night that we had a
problem and I ought to come in.” John
Hoover, the lead NASA Recovery Officer
for Apollo 13, was on the other end.

While this mission may be the most recognized of NASA’s history, it is only one of
several missions with which John was involved during his 40 year career.
John Hoover was born January 9, 1938 in Denison, Texas. His mother Carrie Hubert, was a school teacher; his father Harold, worked for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT). He attended Denison High School. In 1960, he graduated from Texas A&M, College Station with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.

After graduation, John spent four years in the Southwest working for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). His job was to install the electronic equipment in air traffic control towers being erected nationwide as a result of the growth of commercial air travel.

While working for the FAA, he met his future wife, Julie. They would be married for 53 years upon his passing. They had 2 children and 2 grandchildren. John & Julie travelled the world and loved to experience many of their journeys from the deck of a cruise ship.

Recruited by NASA organization in 1964 as an Aerospace Technologist at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas, John worked in Landing and Recovery from Gemini IV to Apollo XV. During his tenure for Johnson Space Center, John won numerous awards including the JSC Certificate of Commendation (JSC’s highest honor award) and the Space Flight Awareness Award. It was with the Apollo 13 team that he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Richard Nixon. In the history of the award, this is only time that it has been
bestowed to a group rather than an individual.

John was involved in the Space Shuttle program as a payloads manager. This included the launching of a very significant payload, the Hubble telescope, flown aboard the Discovery on the STS-31 mission. During this time, John trained for the 1990 Houston Marathon and continued to participate until 1993.

His final years at NASA saw him involved with the building of the international space station. He retired in 2000 as Flight Manager for the Missions Operations Directorate after 40 years of service with the Federal Government.

In retirement, he was involved as a member with many historical societies, including the Sons of the Republic of Texas, the Military Order of the Stars and Bars, the Sons of the American Revolution, the Descendants of Mexican War Veterans, the General Society of the War of 1812 and the Huguenot Society. He was involved with the Southern Heritage Ball and served as chairman for the 2009 event.

He was very active in his community since the mid 1960’s serving on numerous boards and was a charter member of the Southeast Volunteer Fire Department.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years Julie Hoover, daughter Joan Zuñiga, son Jason Hoover, two granddaughters and sister Judy Golhke of Denton.