James Craig Hover

Jim Hover loved two things—his family and cars—more-or-less in that order. He was born on May 18, 1944, in Wichita, KS, but his family soon moved to Colorado Springs.

He spent his youth going on adventures for his dad’s used car lot. They scoured the country looking for cars, making deals, and transporting them back to Hover Motor Company. Jim also got a good start collecting dealer promo models during those journeys.

One day, Vickie Ireland, a cute little girl from Manitou, purchased a ’60 Corvair from the lot. The Corvair didn’t turn out to be very reliable, but the 56-year marriage that resulted from it certainly did.

After graduating from Colorado State University, Jim got a job with Chevrolet Motor Division in 1968 and spent the next 30 years immersed in the automotive industry. During that time, he was even able to take Vickie on some exotic, Chevrolet-sponsored trips to different parts of the world. The Hover family spent most of their time in the Midwest, with stops in Norfolk, NE, St. Louis, Omaha, and their final stop in Kansas City.

Jim and Vickie had two kids, and if they weren’t taking family trips to Colorado or must-see U.S. landmarks (Jim always drove), he was doing things related to, you guessed it, cars!

Car races. Car shows. Buying and selling cars. Taking drives in his ’61 Corvette. Transferring as much car information as possible to his son. This is how he spent his free-time when he wasn’t working for Chevrolet.

Jim was a devoted husband and father, highly loved and respected. His final years were plagued with Parkinson’s Disease, and his family was more than eager to spend time with him, especially his wife, who never missed a single day hanging out at his assisted living home.

Jim passed away on August 12, 2026. He was preceded in death by his father Robert Hover and mother Billie Hover. He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years Vickie Lynn Hover (Ireland),Shawnee, KS; his son James Craig Hover II (Maria), Platte City, MO; and his daughter Heidi Kate Andre, Mission, KS. He also had two grandkids, Ethan James Hover and Henry James Andre.

Jim’s Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, August 22, 2026. at 2:00 pm at the Amos Family Funeral Home 10901 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS 66203. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to the Parkinson's Foundation

For those not able to attend in person, please click HERE to watch the livestream