NANCY MARGRAVES-HOOVER
1939-2021
Nancy Margraves-Hoover passed away peacefully on September 17, 2021 with her daughter Elizabeth at her bedside. Nan was born in Houston on January 27, 1939 to Nina Benware and Dr. Ross D. Margraves and attended River Oaks Elementary, Lanier Middle School and graduated from Mirabeau B. Lamar High School in 1956. A close knit family, the Margraves spent weekends at their Green Prairie Ranch in Wellborn, TX where Nan and her brother Ross grew up shooting targets, riding horses, attending games at TAMU’s Kyle Field and spending time with family and friends. Nan was a 1960 graduate of Southern Methodist University with BAs in History and Education.
Mrs. Hoover taught at Stratford High School in Houston for many years and at McCallum High School in Austin. She was a dedicated teacher of history with a compassion for students, going above and beyond the curriculum with interesting stories and visuals of historic figures, places and events. Her students knew they could come to Mrs. Hoover for help or advice on other matters which she only gave when asked. Nan was an Austin resident for 26 years, having moved there in 1993 to care for her ailing son Michael. After her retirement, Nan settled into a quiet life in Austin, volunteering with several animal rescue groups and working in her garden. Nan loved reading, gardening and being with her animals. In 2019, Nan moved to Houston to be near her family.
We will miss Nan’s warmth, beautiful smile and gracious manner. Nan was a private person who had quiet reserves of strength and an abiding faith in Jesus Christ. She was raised as a Methodist, attending St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Houston and later converting to the Episcopal Church after marriage.
Nan is preceded in death by her parents Nina Benware and Dr. Ross D. Margraves; by her son Michael Drennan Hoover, and by former husband, Howard S. Hoover, Jr. She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Hoover Rotan and husband Matthew Rotan and their children: Edward McCall Rotan (Mac 25), Nina England Rotan (23), Elizabeth Sterling Rotan (Ellie 22) and Katherine Ross Rotan (Kate 19). She is also survived by her beloved brother Ross D. Margraves, Jr. and wife Madeline of Houston, and their adult children Ross D. Margraves III and wife Joanne and their daughter Megan; Paul Murray Margraves II and his children Sloane, Daulton and Max; Lisa Ann Margraves and wife Tiffany Otting and her son Ross B. Margraves; Scott Margraves and wife
Lory and their children Madeline, Missy and Molly; Susan Margraves Anderson and husband Michael and their children Daniel and Elizabeth; and Stuart Margraves and his daughter Sara. Nan also leaves behind former in-laws Margaret and Jim Perkins of Tyler and Rusk, TX and their adult children James Perkins III of Houston and Conroe and Laura Perkins of Tyler, TX; and former sister-in-law Glenda Sullinger Margraves of Houston. Nan is also survived by her dearest friend Betty Ann Bair Newsom of Austin, TX.
The Margraves-Hoover Family would like to thank the sixth floor staff at The Tradition Woodway (both Stellas, Star, Victoria, LaTonya, Elizabeth, Diana, Kayla and Reagan) as well as Seasons Hospice nurses Cirsteen and Kendra who took beautiful care of Nan. Contributions can be made in Nan’s memory to the
Houston SPCA at https:// www.houstonspca.org/ or to Citizens for Animal Protection (CAPS at https:// donatenow.networkforgood. org/CitizensforAnimalProtection or to the Nance National Alzheimer’s Center at Houston’s Methodist Hospital at https://givingforms.houstonmethodist.org/ NantzGivingForm . There will be a private family burial at a later date.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.— Ephesians 2:8-10