Steve A. Hovies' Obituary
Steve A. Hovies, age 77, of Smyrna, Tennessee passed away Monday April 7, 2025, in Rogers, Arkansas lovingly surrounded by family. He was born October 21, 1947, in Birmingham, Alabama the son of Delmer Hovies and Louise Ritch. He was preceded in death by his parents and beloved dog Sturgis. He was a veteran of the United States Navy and served as a Public Servant for decades. After courageously serving as a police officer with the Birmingham and Trussville Police Departments for years, Steve moved to Nashville in 1979 and dedicated the rest of his career to civil service and education until his retirement. This included work for both the Federal Government and State of Tennessee along with many years as professor at a community college.
As a proud and loving father, he is survived by his devoted children, grandchildren as well as great grandchildren who affectionately knew him as “Pappy”, his dear dog Ash, and his siblings Bill Hovies, Dottie West, Debbie Horst, Jerry Hovies, and Wendy Hovies. His children are son Steve Miller and wife Kristie, their children Matt and Katy, along with their children, daughter Stacy Hovies Harpole and husband Jason, their children Jason, Jacy, Joelle, Jeffrey and wife Jackie, daughter Shelly Rogers and husband Nathan, their children Coraline, Nora, and Marigold, and daughter Samantha Gibson and husband Jesse and their daughter Charlotte. He was a family man filled with pride for his son and he was a fierce protector of his daughters. He adored his grandchildren immensely and treated his step children as his own.
Steve was not a man of few words, and there are not few words for such a special man as Steve. He was passionate about things he believed in and stood up for what was right. He was willing to come to the rescue of those in need, whether loved ones or strangers. He cared about justice and fairness, but didn’t mind bending the rules from time to time. Open minded and sensitive, Steve’s heart was as big as his smile and he loved as deeply as his voice. His generosity knew few bounds and his thoughtfulness was greatly touching. His loyalty was steadfast and his support was secure. You would most likely see him at every practice, game or event you had proudly (and loudly) rooting from the sidelines. In his professional life, Steve had a reputation of being approachable, caring, and always willing to mentor anyone without partiality. As a vast source of experience, wisdom, and practical advice many of his coworkers looked to Steve for guidance through the years and still count his help, leadership and kindness as priceless.
Even with life's challenges, disappointments and setbacks, Steve achieved many of his dreams and goals including raising a family, pursuing many of his hobbies, and completing his master’s degree before he was able to enjoy his rightly earned retirement. He did not fit within time’s constraints, and deadlines were always flexible. Though his attention span was short, his list of interests was long. Steve was a charmingly interesting person and advocate for education, so his curiosity and love for learning and sharing knowledge was endless. He appreciated and enjoyed life’s simple pleasures from a good meal, song, or movie to nature’s beautiful sights and meeting new people. Steve was usually up for an adventure and always willing to try something new… unless he didn't want to and then he definitely wouldn't. If he wasn’t searching a graveyard for his genealogy research, he might be traveling on his motorcycle or in his RV.
His sense of humor was expansive and delightful. As a jack of all trades, Steve was a craftsman and artist who was as talented and creative as he was handy. With three daughters, this included skills of hair styling and braiding. Even with his passing, he still maintains his title as “Indestructible”. Through lifelong health crisis and accidents, he fought until the very end. Even in times where joy was overshadowed by pain, Steve managed to find his spark time and time again. His perseverance cannot be overlooked because at his core Steve was love and joy and he wanted to share those things with everyone.
From friends and family to fleeting strangers in a waiting room, Steve’s legacy will no doubt live on in the conversations he started, the stories he told, the lessons he taught, the fun that he made, the memories he shared, and the love he showed. Some of his many quirks included an endearing mispronunciation of words, sometimes colorful language, and signature catch phrases. So on that note, may we all remember that “life is too short to be miserable”, “don't rush off”, “take your shoes off and stay a while”. And last but not least… “Roll Tide!”
There will be a Memorial service in Tennessee at the Hampton Inn and Suites Nashville-Smyrna 2573 Highwood Blvd, Smyrna, TN 37167 on Saturday May 24, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. Another memorial service will be held in Alabama at the Whites Chapel Community Center 3007 Whites Chapel Pkwy, Moody, AL 35004 on Sunday May 25, 2025 at 1:00p.m. In lieu of flowers, tribute donations may be made to Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, a non-profit organization close to Steve’s heart. These may be made online at https://ofsds.org/ .
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