Former Penn Hills principal remembered for civic engagement, kind heart

For anyone in Penn Hills, the name Ed Hoover brings a flood of memories of a man who dedicated countless hours to bettering his community and leaving a lasting impression on those around him.

Doug Rehberg, Hoover’s pastor and friend for 31 years, called him a legend.

Helping people was a part of his nature, he said.

“He always made you feel like you were the most important person in his life at the moment,” he said.

Hoover passed away on May 14 at 92 years old. He is survived by his wife Jane and two children.

He was the principal of Penn Hills Senior High School until 1991, worked as the president of the Penn Hills Service Association and was a devoted attendee at the Hebron United Presbyterian Church.

In 2007, Hoover received the Community Champion Award from the Penn Hills branch of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh for his work.

“We lost a very great man. He was a role model,” Rehberg said.

Following the news of his passing, many Penn Hills residents took to Facebook to post their fondest memories of Hoover. Lee Adams, creator of a Penn Hills High School multi-class reunion Facebook group, wrote a post asking people to share kind words or stories about Hoover.

Adams graduated from Penn Hills High School in 1975. Adams said he was astonished at how well Hoover was able to keep the high school in order despite its large class size. At the 40th class reunion, Adams said he introduced himself to Hoover and was surprised to learn he knew who he was.

“He told me knew me from watching me play baseball,” Adams said. “He was just a superstar. The love is coming out of the woodwork for this guy.”

Many residents who graduated from Penn Hills High School recalled Hoover being a “strict but fair” leader in the halls.

“Out of all the principles I worked for, Ed was clearly the one I thought was the epitome of what a principal should be,” said Penn Hills resident Dan Brown. Brown worked alongside Hoover as a faculty member at the high school.

Brown said Hoover was a rare person. If any students owed a debt to the school, whether it was lunch money or detentions preventing them from graduating, he would have them clean up around the school to eliminate it, Brown said.

“While he disciplined kids, he would counsel and help them,” Brown said.

George Lyle of Monroeville said Hoover was the best principal he has ever had. He knew everyone by their first and last name, he said.

“That was remarkable. He really cared about the students,” he said.

Hoover was most known for his time volunteering for the Penn Hills Service Association. The organization gives food, clothing and medical equipment to residents in need in Penn Hills.

Despite being retired, Hoover continued to dedicate time to the association up until the last year and a half, according to Jack Giarrusso, treasurer of the association. He worked under Hoover as assistant principal at the high school.

He spent his life helping as many people as possible, he said.

“If there was a birthday, anniversary, funeral, you would get a call from Ed Hoover,” Giarrusso said.

Melissa Shontz, a Penn Hills resident, said Hoover was the heart of the association, which has helped 5,000 families. She said he was looking forward to attending the class reunion last year, but his health prevented him from doing so.

“He was a family friend and a kind and generous man,” she said, “volunteering almost as many years as he worked.”