Obituary

Ola Mae (Eager) Hoover, 85, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, died peacefully, in the presence of her devoted daughters, on November 21, 2024, following a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.

Born April 29, 1939 in Stover, Missouri, Ola was the daughter of George Frederick Eager and Blanche Willoughby (Campbell) Eager, both of whom predeceased her.  Ola moved with her family to Clinton, Missouri in 1953, and graduated from Clinton High School in 1957.  Ola was one of fourteen siblings.

In high school, Ola met her best friend, Lora Lee (Hoover) Eager, and the best friends soon became “sisters” when each married the other’s brother.  Ola married Cecil Galen Hoover on August 24, 1958.  Before Galen predeceased Ola on November 15, 2011, he and Ola enjoyed 55 years of marriage during which they raised their children, enjoyed fishing, gardening, and boating, and then, in their later years, time with their many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Grandsons Chris Reams and Mike Reams have fond memories of going fishing with Grammy and Papa at Truman Lake.  Ola was an avid league bowler for more than five decades, and during most of that time, bowled on a team with her sister Betty, and her sister-in-law Lora Lee.  She would take her grandchildren bowling whenever she could and rewarded spares with twenty-five cents and strikes with fifty cents.  Ola had a great sense of humor, and a marvelous competitive streak.  Her granddaughter Jeni Smyder recalls, with a smile, that Grammy never feigned a “loss” while playing board games with Jeni when she was young.

In addition to her parents, and beloved husband, Ola was preceded in death by brothers Earnest Eager, George Eager, Charles Eager, John Eager, and Eldon Eager, and by sisters, Loveina Sharp, Betty Heimsoth, Donna Stoneking, and Joyce Eager.  She is survived by brothers James Eager, Richard Eager, and Mike Eager, and by sister Marjorie Maxwell.  Ola is also survived by her daughters Cindy Martin (husband J.D.) and Cathy Schumaker (husband Bruce), by her son Chris Hoover (wife Sarah), and by numerous beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

Service and internment will be private.  Arrangements by Langsford Funeral Home, Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Saint Luke’s Home Care & Hospice www.saintlukeskc.org or to the Alzheimer’s Association at https://act.alz.org/donate