Dr. John Charles Hoover, 72, of Pittsburgh, PA, passed away peacefully on January 21, 2026 after a hard fought battle with Lewy Body Dementia.

Born in Pittsburgh in 1953 to parents James and Terry Hoover, he is survived by son Brian Hoover, daughter Julia (Kyle) Ehlis, stepchildren Joseph (Kelly) Kush, and Katharine (David) Wanninger, granddaughters Malia and Cora Ehlis, brothers Jim (Darlene) Hoover, and Bob (Debbie) Hoover, sisters Mary Ann (Ed) Atman, Kathy (David) Kozusko, and Diane (Ernie) Knoche, and 14 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Sally Hoover, and nephew Cameron Hoover.

John had a successful career in psychology and education. He is a proud alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh, where he obtained his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in child psychology. His career started as a childcare worker on the psychiatric adolescent unit of St. Francis' Medical Center. As a psychologist he specialized in Cognitive Behavioral Health and conducted many seminars on this topic. John then served as a school psychologist for the West Allegheny and Quaker Valley school districts. Later in his career he moved into administration, serving as a principal at Osborne Elementary School at Quaker Valley School District, and as assistant superintendent at Peters Township School District. For the last 10 years of his career, he served as the superintendent of Hampton Township School District, retiring in 2016.

While at Hampton, John focused on facilitating students and staff to achieve their maximum potential. He made a point to attend many of the student activities in the district, including participating in the Hampton Alliance for Education Excellence (HAEE) fundraising run, where he pledged $5 to any student who could beat him. He continued to support the students and attend activities even in his retirement. He is remembered for focusing on the positive, encouraging a culture of collaboration and support.

Preceded in death by his wife Sally, the two were well known for traveling to their favorite cities, eating healthy and exercising regularly. John loved playing golf and tennis, running, and biking, and continued to stay active until a few short months before his passing.

The family would like to thank the staff of both Ridgecrest of McCandless and Commonwealth Hospice for their care of John during his final months.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, January 29th from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at Eloise B. Kyper Funeral Home at 2702 Mt. Royal Blvd., Glenshaw, PA. A memorial service will be held at the same location on Friday, January 30th at 11am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of John to the Lewy Body Dementia Association at lbda.org/donate and selecting 'Add a dedication' to your donation.