On Oct 31, 2017, Rex Allan Hoover, 75, of Sumerduck VA, went to be with our Lord after a two year fight with cancer. Rex leaves behind his faithful and precious wife Patricia Hoover, his children Tom Hoover (Dolores) of Salt Point NY, Sherri Vertucci of Fort Hunter NY, Robert Hoover (Anne) of Woodbridge VA, and Angie Hoover (Bill Yeatts) of Bristow VA; his grandchildren Ashlee Wirtz (Brian) of San Diego CA, Thomas Hoover (Amanda) of Corinth NY, Richard, Alexander, and Jillian Vertucci of Fort Hunter, Xander and Tristan Cook of Bristow, Devon and Kayla Hoover of Woodbridge; his great-grandson William Hoover of Corinth, his sister Ruth Hoffman of Akron OH, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Rex served 9 years in the US Navy as a CE1 Seabee (construction electrician and nuclear power plant operator and instructor), worked 25 years for IBM as an engineer, scientist, and manager, and founded his own robotics manufacturing company, TriTek Corp., alongside his family.

While in the Navy, he helped Crew V set a world record for continuous nuclear power plant operation over the long Antarctic winter night. In addition, he co-founded The 200 Club, a McMurdo Base tradition of subjecting the body to a 200o temperature differential, setting a world record of -60°F exposure for 1 minute.

He designed microchips for IBM that were ten years or more ahead of their time, including a Pentium-equivalent processor in the early 1980s. He published trade journal articles and made many conference presentations to improve the state of the art in Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) design and laboratory business measurements. His pioneering work in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques helped make the SEM an essential quality control tool for semiconductor electronics manufacturing.

He earned 8 patents for his ideas related to robotic microscopy while working alongside his sons in his lifelong dream of a family business. His microscopes are installed in 17 countries around the world, helping people make remote medical diagnoses, inspect radioactive materials, and discover cures for disease.

Most amazingly, Rex balanced his exemplary career with family life in an uncommon way, always making time for his children’s athletic competitions, school concerts, and awards ceremonies. Not only did he never miss a game; he was often the coach. His leadership helped shape young minds and springboard them into both athletic and professional careers.

Rex believed we should leave the world a better place. He wrote countless “letters to the editor” for local newspapers for almost three decades, expressing his love for our country and his desire to make it great. He even ran for Fauquier County Supervisor to try to make a difference for future generations.

Rex was strong and able in life, using his strength and skills to help others whenever needed. After his Stage IV diagnosis, he far surpassed the typical cancer life expectancy. He will be missed by the countless people whose lives he touched. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a great-grandfather, a manager, a coach, a mentor, and a friend. All who knew him hailed him as “the smartest man I’ve ever known.”