Terry E. Hovet

Terrance Eugene Hovet, Thompson, North Dakota, died on 15 March 2020 in Mesa, Arizona, after a long illness.

Terry was born in Grand Forks, ND, on 18 October 1939, to Berto and Bernice Hovet (Tweden). He graduated from the Northwest School of Agriculture in Crookston, MN, in 1957. In 1959 he joined the Army and was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany at the same time Elvis Presley was there. He was stationed in Bamberg, then Würzburg where he met his wife, Ursula. Because of Cold War tensions concerning the Berlin Wall, Terry’s enlistment was extended and he was not discharged until March 1962.

After being honorably discharged from the Army, Terry worked for the Soil Conservation Service in Grand Forks. When Ursula joined him in September, they got married on his parents’ silver wedding anniversary, 11 September 1962.

Terry was employed by Minnkota Power until the family moved to Washington State in 1965 where he had accepted a position with Boeing. His friend, Lloyd Hoselton, offered to train him in the roofing business. Terry gladly accepted for the chance of working outside instead of in a noisy aircraft. Lloyd employed him until 1969 when Terry and his family moved to Arizona. He worked for various roofing contractors until he moved back to North Dakota in 1976 after his father’s death. He farmed for nine years and then started Hovet Roofing, Inc. He retired in 2008.

Terry loved the outdoors. During his youth he enjoyed fishing and spent time with relatives on Red Lake. Until he was no longer able to walk, he loved hunting with friends and his son, Dan.

As years passed, Terry had to drive to the barn, and relied on the use of his cane to climb on his riding mower for the one “job” he could still do--mowing the five acres of grass. It was a peaceful time for him.

He loved reading, especially history novels, and enjoyed playing cards, preferably Pinochle. Terry loved to travel. In 1961 he drove from Germany to Norway to visit relatives, and in 1999 he flew to Oslo to spend time with Ursula who was teaching at the American College of Norway at that time. On several occasions he accompanied Ursula on trips to Germany. They had been spending winters in Arizona since 2010.

Terry enjoyed visiting with family and friends and looked forward to the regular family Sunday dinners. He loved his dog Maxx whom previous owners had dumped close to our farm. He was the first and only dog who was allowed to be inside.

He is survived by his wife Ursula Hovet (Meyknecht); sons Daniel Marc Hovet (Susan Olson), Thompson, ND, and Terrance Scott Hovet (Lindsay Pitman), Pueblo Colorado; daughter Kristin Andrea Ellwanger (Kurt), Grand Forks; granddaughters Cassandra Hovet, Thompson; Alyssa Hovet, Fargo; Lorelei, Calista, and Zenona Hovet, Pueblo, CO;  great-granddaughters Adrianne Jarvis, Thompson, and Violet Daley, Fargo; and by sisters Marilyn Dehning (Bill), West Linn, OR; Bette Nelson (Terry), The Dalles, OR; and Renee Olson (Donn), Wyoming, MN.

Terry was preceded in death by his parents, sister Janice Johnson, nephew Marty Dehning, niece Bridgette Nelson, and his only grandson Jacob Hovet.

A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, 24 July 2020, 11:00 AM, at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 701 Broadway Street, Thompson, ND.