Jerry Hove

At Cross Trails In The Desert, 1988

Gerald Eugene Hove
17 Nov 1933 - 01 Jan 1992

Clubs & Associations

Obituary

Jerry died peacefully on New Year's Day after a two-year struggle with Kaposi's Sarcoma, He is survived by his lover Jim of 22 years; his cat Mona; his mother, Blanche; his sister Jennie; his niece Lydia; his nephew Nick; and his many friends at Wells Fargo Bank, Foggy City Dancers and Midnight Squares.

A memorial service and reception will be held Jan. 11 at 3:00 p.m. at The Church of the Advent of Christ the King at 261 Fell St. (between Franklin and Gough streets).^[1]

Recollections

And One Day He Was There No More ...
By Ken Kalstein

The honor has fallen on me to write a few words in memory of Jerry Hove. We knew each other thru square dancing, going way back to times we could hardly remember. One day Jerry and I tried to figure out which one of started first. The best we could come up with was he most likely started in the class before mine; he in fall of '82 and me in spring '83.

How does one start to say all the things about Jerry? Although it seems sacrilegious now, what trash buckets we were. And proud of it, too. He in restrooms throughout the city, me at the Boot Camp and other distinguished establishments. Things we never talk about now. We most likely represented the "best" Foggy City Squares, and later Foggy City Dancers had to offer. One of the many personal issues I had to deal with during Jerry's illness was that his passing, I would be the grandfather, the longest continuing dancer in the club.

Jerry's contributions to Foggy City and the gay square dance community over the years are a great compliment to his dedication and his love. He was a member of the performance going so far back that even I can't remember when he started, or even when he became a team captain. But he danced with the team as long as his health would allow, retiring just a short time ago. Jerry also kept all of the club membership records, names and addresses going back farther than I can remember. When I was editor of the newsletter, before I became president, Jerry was the one who printed the mailing label each month. We worked together back in '85 and '86, both active members of the Star Thru the Golden Gate committee; both joining over a year before the Third Annual IAGSDC convention here in San Francisco, and both working on it even after the festivities were over. I'm sure I'll feel that mixture of sadness and remembrance this year in Albuquerque, knowing that, unlike me, Harlan, and some thirty or so other people, God willing, Jerry will not be honored at the Seattle convention in 1993 as one of those pioneers who attended every convention from the very first to the tenth.

How many new classes did he angel for? Hoe many unsuspecting young men and women did he get hooked on gay square dancing? How many tips did he sit out to collect money at the door? How much of his own time did he spend behind the scenes for the betterment of the club? I cannot say, for so often we don't count the little everyday things which over the years add up to so much. Darling Jerry, may you rest in peace for all eternity, and may the angels treat you with the love and kindness you had shown us all. Goodby, dear sister, goodby.

Love, Ken ^[2]

Memorial Panel

1UR | Foggy City Dancers

Photos

At All Join Hands, 1984
Standing in Boy Scout uniform is Cap Moran; the "old lady" he is helping to cross the street is Jerry Hove. At the Western Star Dancers Halloween dance. YMCA, San Francisco, 1984
At Promenade Along The Rockies, 1985
At Star Thru The Golden Gate, 1986
At Cross Trails In The Desert, 1988
Obituary (Bay Area Reporter)
Remembrance