Obituary of Frederick Arnold Hovey

Frederick Arnold Hovey, known fondly to all he met as Fritz, passed away peacefully on August 14, 2024 at home in New Canaan, Connecticut,  with his beloved wife, Ann, by his side. He was 86 years old.

Fritz was born and raised in Geneva, New York the son of Norman (Ted) and Frieda Keeney Hovey. Growing up in Geneva, Fritz at times worked for his Uncle H. E. Hovey’s Market Basket grocery chain, and shared many stories of quirky customers, odd deliveries, and colorful coworkers in the organization.

After graduating from Milwaukee School of Engineering, Fritz enjoyed a long, successful career as an electrical engineer, starting at Westinghouse and ultimately spending 3 decades with Sylvania/Philips Electronics. His engaging, affable personality was in demand with his sales and marketing partners with whom he took many trips to meet with customers across Asia. Fritz was the engineer they needed to help close the deal.

Fritz and Ann raised their two children, Richard (Rick) and Elizabeth (Liza) in Geneva, NY. In 1989 they moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they became diehard fans of the University of Michigan, attending every hockey, football and basketball game they could, while savoring the many lifestyle delights provided by that city. Upon their return to Geneva in 2000, they enjoyed retirement with a wonderful, close-knit group of friends that felt like family.  In 2022 they relocated to New Canaan in order to spend more time with their grandchildren.

Fritz is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Ann Smith Hovey, his daughter Liza (Marc) Laibe, and his grandsons, John “Jack” and Frederick “Fritz” Laibe.

He was predeceased by his parents, his brother, Daniel (Dan), and his son, Richard (Rick).

A memorial celebration will be held at a future date in Geneva.