James Kenneth Hoover

James Kenneth Hoover, age 90, passed away on Monday, January 12, 2026 at the Park Lane Nursing Home in Scott City, Kansas. He was born on January 8, 1936 in Scott City, Kansas, the son of Harley & Ruth Huff Hoover who provided a Christian home for their two children, Harold Leroy and James Kenneth Hoover. Ken and Harold both had polio in their youth, Ken was 4 years old.

Ken attended 12 years of school and graduated from Scott Community High School in 1953. He loved music and was a participant in all music programs. He also loved to play tennis and went to State his senior year with his best friend and doubles partner, Robert Miller.

In 1954 Ken and his brother, Harold, both attended Coyne Electrical School in Chicago, Illinois, and then became partners with their dad in the Hoover Electric business in Scott City, Kansas. Ken retired from that business in 2004.

Ken married Karen Joan Miller in 1956 and made their home in Scott City, Kansas. They are the parents of two children, Darin James Hoover and wife Joyce, of Little Rock, Arkansas, with one child, Kara Marie, and Shari Davon Gaston and husband Gary of Wichita, Kansas with five children, Jeremy, Kylee, Brandon, Stephen, and Zachary Gaston.

Ken always loved to get together with his family and taking the boys fishing. He and his two sons, Darin & Gary, his son in law, went fishing in Canada one year and caught the biggest fish of his life. It was so big he could hardly pull it in.

Ken and Karen loved to travel. When they had the Christian Bookstore, The Brotherhood Bookshelf, they traveled to several states to attend the Booksellers Conventions to do the buying for the store. They had the opportunity to meet many Christian Authors and Christian Musicians.

Ken and Karen are members of the First Baptist Church in Scott City, Kansas where he served as a deacon and on several different boards. Ken accepted the Lord Jesus as a young man and loved the Lord. He was a member of men’s groups and a Bible Study group for many years.

Ken has a sense of humor and always enjoyed laughing and playing tricks on his fellow workers. He also loved getting together with his friends at break time at the Convenient Store and laughing and telling stories.

Ken became a Fireman with the Volunteer Fire Department in 1964. He continued with the fire department becoming the City Fire Chief and served as Chief from 1980 until 2018 when he retired.

Ken served on the Scott City Council for several years as a council member.

He was preceded in death by his Parents, One Brother - Harold Hoover and his wife, Mary Ann (Wikle) Hoover, and a grandson, Aaron James Gaston.

Funeral Services will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 24, 2026 at the First Baptist Church in Scott City, Kansas with Rev. Kyle Evans presiding.

Memorials in Lieu of Flowers may be made to the Scott County Fire Department or Park Lane Nursing Home in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 553, Scott City, Kansas, 67871.

Interment will be held in the Scott County Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 22, 2026 and 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday, January 23, 2026 with the family present on Friday, January 23, 2026 from 4:00 p.m until 6:00 p.m. at Price & Sons Funeral Home, 401 S. Washington St., Scott City, Kansas, 67871.