advertisement

Former Timothy Christian superintendent remembered for vision and leadership

Arnold Hoving, an influential and longtime leader with Timothy Christian Schools in Elmhurst, died Wednesday at age 84.

Known informally as "Arnie," Hoving was superintendent of Timothy Christian, which offers preschool through 12th-grade classes, from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.

Hoving was the high school principal from 1969 and a math teacher before that starting in 1958. In retirement, Hoving was active on the board of the Timothy Foundation.

"Timothy Christian was his first job," said daughter Jane Hoving Meulink. "He liked it so much after one year that he said that he wanted to stay."

Meulink said her father was very competitive but also enjoyed traveling, fishing and golfing. Hoving also coached high school basketball for a few seasons at Timothy Christian.

Current Superintendent Matt Davidson said Hoving was a great mentor to him. Davidson added it was a great honor to rename one of the school's gymnasiums after Hoving.

"He was a godly man, a bring-your-lunch-pail-to-work kind of guy with an unbelievable work ethic," Davidson said.

Meulink echoed Davidson, sharing memories of her father returning to their family's LaGrange Highlands home as late as 1 a.m. following school board meetings. Hoving also made it a point to personally plan all the school bus routes to be as efficient as possible.

"He was a good fundraiser and he had vision," Meulink said. "The school board would ask, 'Where's this money going to come from?' And Dad would ensure that it would come in."

Davidson credits Hoving's involvement in every structure built before 2010 on the Timothy Christian Schools' Elmhurst campus.

"If you're looking for the Mount Rushmore of Timothy Christian Schools, you start with Arnie Hoving," Davidson said.

Hoving's family said he had recently suffered from pneumonia and a broken rib from a fall at his home in a Downers Grove retirement center.

In addition to Meulink, Hoving is survived by a son, Howard; another daughter, June Evenhouse; and 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Hoving was preceded in death by his wife, Lois Ruth.

The in-person funeral is private, though Knollcrest Funeral Home will livestream the service from 11 a.m. Saturday, April 10, at knollcrest.net.

Instead of flowers, the family requests donations in Hoving's honor to be made to Timothy Christian Schools, 188 Butterfield Road, Elmhurst.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.