Herbert C. Hoover, 85, Hays, died Sunday, July 6, 2014 at the Sterling House of Hays.

He was born March 4, 1929 in Grinnell, Iowa the son of Frederick D. and Grace (Cline) Hoover. On January 21, 1950 he married Wilma J. Rupp in Hays. He was the General Manager of Rupp’s Incorporated John Deere dealership until his retirement in 1985. He was a member of the Sunflower Retriever Club, the National American Hunt and Retrieve Association, loved to go hunting with his black labs Gunner and Crash, was a member of the National Hot Rod Assoc. and loved drag racing with his top alcohol dragster, and was an avid airplane lover.

Survivors include his wife, of the home in Hays, sons Don Hoover and wife Jolene and Fred Hoover and Sharley Benham, all of Hays, five daughters, Mary Metz and husband Bill of Berryton, KS, Carol Neihardt and husband Nelson of Eudora, KS, Connie Sheldon of Hays, Sue Ihde and husband Bob of Hays, and Janet Kuhn and husband Ed of Walker, KS, eleven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by brothers, Ward and Harlan Hoover, sisters Velda Hoover and Esther Diehm, a son-in-law Mike Schlagek, and a great grandson Xavier Shuler.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Wednesday, July 9, 2014 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays.  Burial will be in the St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Tuesday and from 10:00 am until 10:45 on Wednesday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street. A parish vigil service will be at 6:30 pm on Tuesday at the funeral home. 

Memorials are suggested to the Herbert C. Hoover memorial fund, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com