Obituary of Robert Stover

Robert Edward Stover, of Hidden Valley Farm on the Jacksonville Road, Marion Township, died on Sunday, October 6, 2013, at Mount Nittany Medical Center. He was 85 years old. Dr. Stover was born on August 11, 1928, the second oldest of five children to Walter and Naomi Kline Stover. Though his family moved frequently, he could often be found outside, fishing, hunting, or reading books. He graduated from Jersey Shore High School in 1946. He enlisted in the Army toward the end of the war and served in occupied Japan. Not wanting to be infantry, he misleadingly told his officers that he was a pre-med major in college, and he was reassigned to the medical unit after displaying knowledge he'd memorized from studying Gray's Anatomy by flashlight at night. After the war, he attended Bucknell University, where he received a Bachelor of Science, and then Penn State University, where he received both his master's and Ph.D. in industrial psychology. He subsequently taught at Penn State University. Dr. Stover worked at HRB-Singer for many years, eventually becoming a Vice President of the company. After that, he was involved with General Housing, the College of Human Development at PSU, and various other companies as a consultant. He was the CEO of Federal Housing Development, Inc., which built housing projects all over the state of Pennsylvania. In addition to Bob's many accolades, he considered his greatest achievement to be the founding and development, with brother-in-law Richard Divany, of Hidden Valley Farm and Shooting Preserve on the eastern edge of Centre County. He knew that the land, situated in Little Nittany Valley, would be great hunting grounds, and he and his wife Kay shot many a fine deer on the property. They built the farm to be a family estate, and their two daughters, Valerie Anderson and Julie Stover, two grandchildren, Bob and Maggie Anderson, and brother- and sister-in-law, Richard and Jean Divany, have all lived on and loved the land as much as the patriarch and matriarch did. Bob met his lifetime love Kay while they were both in college. He said, "She was my match. Some days she was more than my match." Bob and Kay shared many hobbies, from hunting and fishing to tailgating with their best friends William and Viola Mosso at Penn State football games. They both loved to tell stories and often competed for the attention of the crowd, which was itself a loving game enjoyed by all who witnessed it. The two had many dogs throughout the years, and while they were bird hunting dogs, they were also important members of the family. Bob was fond of saying, "I like all dogs better than I like most people." Bob's last dog, Hannah, preceded him in death by only three weeks. Dr. Stover was preceded in death by his wife Kay, sister Margaret, and brother Edward. He is survived by his brothers Richard of Lewisburg and Thomas of Middletown, VA, daughters Valerie Anderson of Hidden Valley and Julie Stover and her partner Carrie Koza of Pittsburgh, grandchildren Bob Anderson of Los Angeles and Maggie Anderson of Hidden Valley, brother-in-law Richard Divany of Hidden Valley, special niece Sharon Divany and her husband David Holdridge, and their children Kayley and Tanner. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including Lee Stover of Port Matilda. Family and friends will be received on Thursday, October 10, 2013, from 6:00-8:00 pm at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 South Atherton Street, State College, PA. Burial will be held at the family cemetery at Hidden Valley Farm, 325 Hidden Valley Lane, Howard, PA, where he will be laid to rest beside his beloved wife. The burial service will begin at 11:00 am on Friday, October 11, 2013, with lunch to follow afterward. Memorial contributions may be made to PAWS, 1401 Trout Road, State College, PA, 16801, from which he and Maggie recently adopted the newest member of the family, our beagle Scout. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.