Monday, July 31, 2017 4:39 pm
Ricky “Rick” Hovden, 58, of Tucson, Ariz. (formerly of Decorah) passed away Wednesday, July 5, 2017, at Northwest Hospital in Tucson, Ariz. after losing a short battle with cancer. A memorial service was July 29, at the Adair Funeral Home in Oro Valley, Ariz. A memorial service is Oct. 7, at 11 a.m. at the Burr Oak Lutheran Church in Burr Oak. Burial will follow in the Burr Oak Cemetery.
Ricky Jay Hovden was born June 5, 1959, in Decorah, son of Lynnferd and Mabel (Blomgren) Hovden. He was baptized and confirmed in the Burr Oak Lutheran Church. He graduated from North Winneshiek School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was active and inactive for 10 years.
Rick was a law enforcement officer for the Decorah Police Department. He then worked for the Black Hawk county Sheriff’s Department in Waterloo. In 1987 he moved to Tucson, Ariz., where he was employed as a law enforcement officer and retired in 2012 as a lieutenant on the Tucson police department.
He was president of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for many years. He was also instrumental in starting and overseeing the Memorial for the fallen officers of Tucson Police Department. Rick enjoyed traveling, spending time with loving friends, his family, and especially his new grandson, Ryan, in his retirement years. Rick served as a hero and an inspiration to not only his family, but to his community as well. His good deeds and efforts greatly impacted many lives, many of which we will not truly know due to his greatest trait, humility.
Rick and Andrea O’Hanlon married and later divorced. To this union a son was born, Keenan Hovden.
Rick is survived by his son, Keenan (special friend Amanda Garcia) of San Antonio, Texas; mother, Mabel Hovden of Mabel, Minn.; grandson, Ryan Hovden; two sisters, Jackie (Richard) Miller of Rochester, Minn.; Lynnette Smith of Ogden, Utah; two brothers, Harlynn (Kathy) Hovden of Buena Vista, Colo. and Tim (Tamie) Hovden of DeBeque, Colo. Rick is also survived by nieces and nephews: Kim (Dave) Erickson and family; Brenda (Ty) Makela and family; Butch (Carmen) Thompson and family; Rich (Pam) Horn; Chris (Heidi) Thompson and family; Allynn (Sheila) Hovden; Russell Hovden and family; Faith (Shilo) Holbrook and family; Britnay Smith.
Rick was preceded in death by his father, Lynnferd Hovden; and brother-in-law, Gene Horn.
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