Roger Watson

Reading Jimmy's obituary, looking at the pictures provided, there is no mistaking that this is the Jimmy Hoover I knew as a classmate and teammate. He was blessed with an easy smile, with empathy, and with compassion. Jimmy possessed the simplest of all human traits, the trait that so many of us can not make our own -  Jimmy was kind.

From the football field, in combat, and as a family man, he put others before himself. In a world where we are looking for recognition from others, where we want people to know how important we are, how precious we are, how successful we are or not, we have become a self-absorbed society, and it is so easy to get caught up in that. James (Jimmy) Hoover represents, for me the very antithesis of that mindset. 

Jimmy and I had little interface over the years if any but his death and his obituary has caused me to look in the mirror and ask the simple question - am I kind, would people who know me call me kind. Jimmy set the bar high.

It is not how long we live but how well we live - Jimmy lived well. We could do worse than to be a bit more like Jimmy than we are today. Rest in peace Jimmy. Thank you! 

Peg O'Brien

Roger, well said.  Jimmy was a kind, friendly good person. 

Edward Clemon

Roger your words speak volumes about today’s world and how materialistic we have become.  Jimmy was as an easy going a person you would ever want to meet and he truly was a kind person. AS ARE YOU. I have never heard you or Jimmy say an unkind word about anyone. Rest In Peace Jim, you will be missed. 

Betty Loew (White)

Jim and I were classmates at F.A. Day. I have fond memories of the way things were.. of my teachers: Mr. Boston, Mrs. Bishop, Mr. Coles, Mrs. Lavely, Mrs. Holmes, Mr. Blount, Mrs Veyonovich. Jim and I were in many of the same classes. We shared the days of our youth in friendship, fellowship, and fun. I appreciate having known Jim during this joyful time of our lives, and more recently, learning about his life, a life well-lived. And, just like Jim, I have also taken delight in living in Maine. It's amazing how life can take us full-circle.

Alan Crosby

Some history.CB's parents, his cousin, Jon Neal's parents, and my Mom and Dad were very close. Attended the same church...socialized constantly, and Summered in Maine. They had houses in Moody, my folks a motel in Ogunquit. I first met CB, his brother Peter, and cousins Jon and Huck Neal when in 4th grade at Cabot. They were Horace Mann.                                                                                                                                                           

CB and I fished for flounder in Ogunquit and Cape Neddick, for Trout at Lake Cochituate. Played church Basketball at the Newton YMCA. Took the same classes at FA Day. Played football for John Eldridge. Would sneak out of church to drink coffee and smoke, then slip back to the balcony just as the sermon was ending, without getting caught. I remember our 9th grade class trip to NYC. CB, me, Marty O'Gorman, and Steve Carrol. Staying up till four AM...trying to be cool on the streets. Even then, CB, with his slow drawl and easy smile was a leader.. knew what he wanted...and how to pull it off. He and I were best buds at Day.

We hit HS running. Both of us making new friends from different Jr. High Schools. We discovered chasing girls our own age was just as much fun as fishing. Actually more fun, once we got better at it. We learned to smoke and drink Haffenreffer GIQs in someone's car, out in the woods. Frank Grant looked 30, so he always scored at the package store. CB did Football and track with Walker and Fortune. He was wicked fast. Me..gymnastics and  baseball with Jessup and Fergie. We stayed close in the Summers in Ogunquit. Trips to the beaches between K-port and York in my boat. He was valet parking at Poor Richard's Tavern. I bar tended at the Old Cove Steakhouse in Perkin's Cove. We typically ended up at the same parties all the workers went to after their shift ended. Almost nightly. Ogunquit was magic.

Jon Neal met Wendy Jenkins, who waitressed at Bessie's and married her a year later. I met Sharon Riff from Umass and married her a year later. CB met Susan Amos at the Cheese House on Rte. 1Moody a few years later, and proposed to her two weeks after they met. I had worked right across the street from  age 13-18 weeding, picking, and selling vegetables at a truck farm. Moody was such a big part of our lives. Our journeys took separate paths around the early 70's. He got into commercial fishing, and I moved to my Dad's Inn in Franconia.

Some color and observations from CB's Celebration in Kennebunkport. About 125 attendees. Wonderful testimonials from his brothers Peter, David, and Robbie about what he meant to them. Cousins and niece and nephews spoke of the many selfless acts Jimmy did for them over their lives. House owners, clients, bosses, and close fishing buddies spoke. The Maryland family that raised one of his race horses. Poignant, tear jerking, funny. A bud from Nam told us how CB volunteered to be forward observer for their unit. High mortality. 90 percent were killed in the first year, so it was volunteer only. CB did it two years. And the final testimony by his wife Susan, a renowned artist, was moving...and very funny. She was awesome. Tears..laughter. The love in the room was palpable. It radiated over all of us.

CB's ashes will be cast into the Little River in the Rachel Carson Wildlife Preserve in back of his house sometime around Christmas. All life from the Amoeba to the Bluefin he used to harpoon, will have a little bit of CB in them. As it should be.

Why the nickname CB?  When his Mother, Polly, was pregnant with her firstborn, her many Donovan relatives and friends would tell her, she looked like she was carrying a little cotton ball. When James was born, they shortened it to CB...and it stuck for life..

 CB had a rich life. Was loved by all who knew him. Did the things he wanted to do..his way. Smoked and drank fine bourbon to his very last day.. and in a fashion, helped me become the person I am. I miss him...

Anne C. Bromilow

Roger, what a wonderful tribute to Jimmy. Thank you for that. Alan, thank you for filling in parts of Jim’s story.

I knew Jimmy from elementary school through high school. I never felt that I knew him very well, partly because I think he was a bit shy, and so was I. But in all of my interactions with him over the years, Jimmy was always kind and polite. I wasn’t surprised to read of his service during Viet Nam as he had a quiet but steadfast demeanor. It’s good to know that he was surrounded by love in life and in death.

Edward Clemon

Alan, wonderful memories of Jim. He was one of a kind and will be missed.