Gloria J. Hoover

Gloria Calentine Hoover, 96, of Granville, died Monday, Feb. 7, 2022 at Licking Memorial Hospital in Newark, Ohio.  A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

Contributions in her memory may be made to The Licking County Humane Society, 825 Thornwood Dr, Heath, Ohio 43056.

Condolences may be expressed at www.mcpeekhoekstra.com.

A tribute by Gloria's niece, Jan:

Gloria Jean Calentine Hoover was born in 1925, in Columbus, Ohio, to parents Robert and Hilda Calentine. The eldest of four, Gloria loved being the big sister.

Even at an early age, she loved the written word. An avid reader and writer, her first poem, entitled ” Spring” , won  her national honors at the age of 12 in the national Sunday School publication, Junior Joys, of the Nazarene  Churches.  High school saw her immersed in theatre and editing the West High School yearbook.

In 1945, she married H. Damon Hoover (1913 -1984), and in 1950 they bought a small farm in McKean Township, Licking County. Damon commuted to Columbus with his employment with Boeing as an engineer, while Gloria immersed herself in the community around her and taking care of the menagerie of goats, chickens, and bee hives.

In 1961, Gloria enrolled as a student at Denison University, immersing herself in studies of history and art, as time allowed, while also raising a busy family. Shortly thereafter, Damon’s work necessitated his moving his family several times for temporary assignments to Maryland and later, Ridgecrest, California.

Late in 1964, Gloria and Damon purchased a home on E. College Street, Granville. There, Gloria embarked on a life-changing event. Her 1965 entry of “Theresa Anise Cookies”  took 1st place in the cookie division, and “Best Overall” baked goods at the Ohio State Fair. Thus, was the humble beginnings of the development of her baking business - “Gloria Hoover’s Cookies.”

The cookie she was best known for was her own development - the “Hetuck Cookie,” for which she received a U.S. design patent in 1961. When a Hetuck tree was dedicated to Ohio in ceremonies  held on the grounds at the US Capitol , Gloria’s Hetuck cookies were presented to all in attendance, including U.S. Representative Chalmers Wylie,  and Governor Robert Taft. Later that day, the infamous cookies were served in the restaurant of the House of Representatives.

Whilst doing all that, between 1971-1976, she published four advertising/marketing booklets of Licking County and the surrounding area, promoting tourism and antiquing.

However, even with all that success, Gloria decided to return to her first love - writing.

In 1977, she joined the staff at The Advocate, where until 1981 she was Editor of the Peoples’ Page. She loved nothing more than meeting and interviewing hundreds of people and sharing their stories in the newspaper.

While vacationing in England in the summer of 1979, Gloria rode the train 3 hours from London to Newark-On-Trent, where she met the Mayor, Bill Drury. An instant friendship was formed. Within no time, plans began to establish “NEWARKS OF THE WORLD”- an internationally connected group of  towns called “Newark.”

In 1991, Gloria decided it was time to follow her own path, and left  The Advocate to establish a writing and marketing business. Clients included three Ohio steel mills and Velvet Ice Cream, among others.

Gloria is perhaps best known for her development of the Hubert and Oese Robinson Lifestyle Museum, a Granville museum, highlighting four generations of Hubert’s family, and how life of ordinary citizens (rather the presidents and wealthy citizens) was lived during their time.

In her later years, Gloria wrote hundreds of columns for publications  such as  The Granville Sentinel, The Advocate, and Good Times  magazine. Her passion for history and writing saw her always immersed in research and historical archiving.  She was, indeed, a living “encyclopedia” of Granville and Licking County history.

A memorial celebration in early summer 2022 will be held to honor and remember her amazing life.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gloria J. Hoover, please visit our floral store.