Jennifer A. Barnes

Jennifer Ann (Hoover) Barnes, age 72, passed peacefully at her home, surrounded by family in the early evening of December 23rd 2023, after a courageous battle with metastatic breast cancer. Jenny was born in 1951 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the only daughter of William and Charlene (Sweigart) Hoover, with two brothers Greg and William (Billy). She attended school in Elizabethtown, PA thru grade 9 before moving with her family to San Antonio, where she went to John Marshall High School, graduating in 1969.

Her father brought their family to San Antonio in 1966 when Olmstead Air Force Base in Middletown, PA was being closed and he was transferred to work at Kelly Air Force Base. They moved into a newly created development called Colonies North.

In her childhood she loved traveling the Jersey shore beaches for extended summer vacations, favoring Atlantic City. She loved making sand castles, and watching as the ocean waves always managed to splash her creations, playing hide and seek under the boardwalk, and eating salt water taffy. When her younger brother Billy was born, Jenny became his “second mother” with an 8 year age gap. She often talked about the day she parked his stroller outside to run into the corner store for some candy, when a woman nearby began yelling about a baby who had toppled-over onto the curb, knocking out his first tooth. From that day forward Billy got his nickname of Billy Bumper.

Jenny was influenced by her family (especially her Aunt Annie and Grandmother Jenny Esther for whom she was named) to be a loving and caring woman, always giving her time to others, and she incorporated that into her motherhood and friendships. She met her husband Mike in 1972 while working at FedMart. She was a cashier and he was a bag boy, who always gravitated to helping in her line as he fell in love with her outgoing and bubbly personality. They soon started dating and after a brief courtship, got married in 1973 and remained together for 50 years. She followed him as he transferred to other cities for promotions, having their children in Victoria Texas.

Her greatest joys in life were her husband, Mike and their two children, Laura and David. She had fun traveling, camping, socializing, and meeting friends anywhere she went. Her grandchildren brightened her life even more, as she always had a beaming smile when talking about them and their exploits.

She was a generous, loving and kind person with a smile and laugh which radiated through her entire being. Her kindness was a constant in her life and she found the company of others a delight. She always thought of others and was never known to dwell on the negative or complain, even through all of her cancer treatments and health problems she stayed positive and optimistic. She had fun in the company of food and friends, and loved all kinds of games, being nicknamed the “River Queen” for her ability to win poker rounds on the last card turned.

She especially enjoyed being among her lady friends in the Red Hatters, and the Shrine. Jenny was a longtime member of several ladies Shriner organizations that helped raise money for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. She was a Daughters of the Nile Queen in Amarillo and traveled for many Shrine activities.

Jenny is survived by her husband Mike, her daughter, Laura, son-in-law Carlos Fernandez, of Austin, TX., and their two children, Carlitos and Elena; her son, David, daughter-in-law Amanda and her two children, Corbin and Journey of Amarillo, TX; her brother Greg Hoover, of Elizabethtown, PA, and his two children, Jessica and Will; and Dawn Hoover, her late brother Billy’s wife.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William Franklin Hoover, and Charlene Eleanor (Sweigart) Hoover, and her younger brother William (Billy) Charles Hoover.

She will be deeply missed by her family and many friends. A Celebration of her life will take place at the Alzafar Shrine Auditorium on January 27th, 2024 from 12:00-4:00pm. Jenny’s desire was that people wear bright colors to celebrate her life and happy memories.

Memorial contributions can be made in Jenny’s memory to Shriners Children’s Hospitals at Alzafar Shrine, 901 N Loop 1604 West, San Antonio, TX 78232.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” A.A. Milne