A memorial service and military rites will be held at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, April 25, at the Lincoln First United Methodist Church in Lincoln, Mo.

Robert Kenneth Hovendick was born July 24, 1921, in Cheyenne Wells, Colo., to Fred and Cora (Lyons) Hovendick.

The family moved to Herman, where he attended New England country school until his graduation from the 10th grade. He then began farming with his father.

He married Lucille Loftis in 1943 while serving in the United States Army during WWII. He spent three and a half years in the service; 11 months of that service were spent in Europe.

After his discharge from the Army, Mr. and Mrs. Hovendick began farming in Nebraska and raising their family. Later they moved to Minnesota where they operated a dairy farm. They sold the dairy operation in 1978 and moved to Missouri.

Mrs. Hovendick died in February of 2000. Mr. Hovendick later met Juanita Howland; the couple married July 21, 2001. They continued to make their home near Lincoln.

Mr. Hovendick was well-known for his quick sense of humor, which was injected into the many letters he sent to his friends and family throughout the years. As with many of his generation, he kept his personal feelings close, but conveyed on many occasions the pride that he had for his boys and their families.

He was active with the Lincoln United Methodist Church and had served three years as Sunday School superintendent.

He is survived by his wife, Juanita; seven sons and daughters-in-law, Gordon and Irene Hovendick and Ron and Carol Hovendick, all of Starbuck, Minn., Dan and Barb Hovendick of Norcross, Ga., David and Connie Hovendick of Devils Lake, N.D., Russ and Carleen Hovendick of Sioux Falls, S.D., Roger Hovendick of Henderson, Nev., and Tim and Tina Hovendick of Lincoln, Mo.; stepson, John D., Howland Jr. of Overland Park, Kan.; stepdaughters, Juanita J. and Reece Cratee of Cantonment, Fla., and Jerri A. Rogers, also of Overland Park; sisters and brothers-in-law, Doris and Robert Anderson of Tekamah, Margaret and Jerry Rennerfeldt of Oakland, and Lura Ruwe of Lincoln; sister-in-law, Ruby Hovendick of Blair; 22 grandchildren; 11 step-grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.

Memorials are suggested to Benton County Hospice, Lincoln First United Methodist Church, or the charity of the donor’s choice. Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.