Brian Hovey

Brian Hovey was a true family man with many loves and interests. He took great pleasure in photography, his passion by trade and by choice, though the greatest snapshots of his life were the memories he formed with his beloved family. He was a loving husband, father, and friend, and the memories of him will always be carried closely, leaving a permanent imprint on the hearts of everyone who knew and loved him.

Brian’s story began on the first of October, 1955, in Moorhead, Minnesota, an area where many of his relatives and family had already settled. On this day, Curtiss and Grace (Thies) Hovey celebrated the birth of a baby boy, a son they named Brian Scott Hovey.

Brian was the second-oldest of five kids in the family home, joining his brothers Michael, Craig, and Todd, and his sister Andrea. Brian and his three brothers took great delight in teasing their one and only sister of the family. To this day, they continue to retell the tales of their “brotherly love.” His father worked for Amoco Oil, while his mother took pride in her work as a mother, homemaker, and wife.

During Brian’s early years, his family had the opportunity to reside in a variety of Midwest states, including North Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana. Because of their ancestry, the family was fortunate to be able to attend many family activities including reunions, get-togethers, and quality time fishing on the many lakes of the Midwest. In the year 1973, Brian received his high school diploma from Indianapolis North Central High School.

He was a tall, talented young man, and true to his Norwegian ancestry, grew to six-foot-six, making him a hurdler on the school’s track and field team. He was also a “band geek” who played trombone. His beloved trombone had an early influence to his love of music.

After he graduated in 1973, Brian chose to attend Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. He majored in music, something he would grow to love even more during his lifetime.

During his time in college, Brian realized he had additional interests and changed his major to that of business and finance. He still had plenty of time to enjoy music.

While Brian was living in student housing, he met a young woman named Anne Marie Mackiewicz, who was also attending Michigan State University. They were both dating other people, but had an immediate connection. They had their first date was New Year’s Day of 1977 and they have been together ever since.

In 1980, Brian and Anne Marie moved to Three Rivers, Michigan so that Anne Marie could pursue her first teaching job in Constantine. Brian went to work for U-Haul in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Eventually, they would be moving to the village of Lawton, Michigan, which was a central location between the two.

Brian continued his schooling at Western Michigan University, where he finished his degree in business and finance in 1982. The following year, the happy couple made things official when they were married on June 11, 1983, in Whitman, Massachusetts, where Anne Marie was originally from, at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church. They honeymooned in Cape Cod, traveling to Niagara Falls on the way home.

The newlyweds settled into their life together, eventually purchasing their first home in Lawton. The new home gave him the opportunity to fuel his hobby for fixing things, and where he amassed an impressive collection of tools. He had almost two of everything, and loved working around the house, tinkering or fixing things. He bought his dad’s 1988 Ford F-150 extended cab truck for one dollar, an amazing machine, which he kept going for the next twenty years. A true testament to Brian’s mechanical abilities!

Brian and Anne Marie had an even bigger addition to their family in 1988, however. They also celebrated the much anticipated birth of their first child, a beautiful baby girl they named Brianne Marie (her name was a true combination of Brian and Anne Marie). Their adorable little girl Kelsey Anne (Norwegian name) completed their happy family in 1989.

Of course, Brian documented every event in the life of his family with numerous photographs. He’d frequently take three different cameras to every family event, making sure he had just the right equipment to capture the perfect picture.

He adored his girls, and was an outstanding father. His daughters and wife always came first in his life. Brian was very active in the girls’ school activities, and went on all their field trips with them, too. He was extremely intelligent and particularly gifted in mathematics, which he used on a daily basis in his job at Norman Camera. He could fix or build anything making him an indispensable handyman to his family and friends.

Brian loved tending to his huge yard, piloting his prized John Deere tractor he “inherited” from his dad. In the winter, he loved firing up the John Deere and plowing the snow with it.

Brian had many interests of his own, and was especially passionate about classic rock. He went to countless concerts over the years, and saw most of the greatest musicians of the 70s. He loved comedy and enjoyed watching Antiques Road Show as well. He was an avid reader of Robert Ludlum novels as well as National Geographic, Car and Driver, and Photo magazines.

His love for photography led him to Norman Camera in 2001, where he became an assistant manager at what is widely considered Southwest Michigan’s finest camera shop. It was the perfect job for Brian, who loved cameras and had a knack for retail.

In 2008, to celebrate their 25th anniversary, Brian and his beloved wife Anne Marie went to Las Vegas, where they enjoyed all the many sights. They formed memories that would last both their lifetimes. Sadly, one month later, Brian was diagnosed with metastatic brain melanoma, and much effort was put forth by his many skilled doctors to prolong Brian’s life and to make him comfortable. Brian died peacefully on Thursday, November 6, 2008 in Kalamazoo. He was fifty-three years old.

Brian was an incredible man, who lived a wonderful life; a life full of family and friends. He was a man who loved to fix things, to preserve the things that mattered most, preserved on film, and preserved in memory. Most of all, Brian was a loving husband, father and friend. Those who knew him will always treasure their memories of times spent with him.

A celebration of life service will be held Monday 1:00 PM for family and friends who knew and loved Brian at Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler & Thompson-60900 M-40 – Paw Paw (657-3870) followed by a reception at the funeral home.

He was preceded in death by his brother Michael C. Hovey and by his mother Grace LaVonne Hovey. Surviving are his wife of 25 years, Anne Marie Hovey; two daughters: Brianne Hovey, attending Central Michigan University and Kelsey Hovey, attending Southwestern Michigan College; 3 siblings: Craig (Debbie) Hovey of Seattle, WA; Todd Hovey of Detroit and Andrea (Terry) Winkle of Indianapolis, IN; his father, Curtiss (Marge Magnuson) Hovey of Fairfield Glade, TN; sister in law, Candice (Ralph) McCafferty of Wilmington, DE and 5 nieces and nephew: Lisa Hovey Motley, Katelyn and Jessica Hovey, Ashley and Collin Winkle. Please visit Brian’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can share a memory or photo and sign his memory book. Memorial contributions may be made to West Michigan Cancer Center, Bronson Hospital Oncology Ward or Rose Arbor Hospice.