Hoover House Reading Book Reduced

Humble Beginings
Judi, one of three children, was raised by career military parents then stationed at Sheppard
Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, and Tommy was raised by a mom wrangling four boys while
his dad worked in the oil fields. They met while attending high school in Burkburnett, Texas,
and later began dating as students at North Texas State University in Denton, marrying in
1967.
After college, Judi first applied her degree in psychology
and sociology as a social worker for the YWCA in Dallas.
Four years later she was hired by the Federal Bureau of
Prisons and worked at the federal correctional institution
in Ft. Worth. In 1974, she was transferred to the Metropolitan
Correctional Center in San Diego, California,
where she was promoted to become a Correctional Treatment
Specialist. Here, in addition to managing a large
caseload, she was charged with the post-trial study and
observation of prisoners. Some of the more notorious
inmates Judi analyzed were Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme of
the Manson clan, and Sara Jane Moore, who shot President
Gerald Ford. Her third assignment with the Bureau
of Prisons was the penitentiary at Terre Haute, Indiana.
When Tommy graduated from college, he put his degree
in business and personnel management to use running
operations for Transcon Freight Lines. He worked his
way up in the company, from laboring on the freight
docks during college and socking away Teamster wages
of $15 per hour, to supervising dock workers.
Backyard, San Diego
Just roll up those sleeves and write up a punch list
How could such varied backgrounds – Judi’s human behavioral studies and Tommy’s knack
for freight management and personnel – evolve into careers spent resuscitating timeworn
architecture? Their career changes came in stages. Like most young couples just starting out,
at first the Hoovers rented their homes. Because they enjoyed what Judi calls “making things
better,” they painted and made repairs, often in exchange for rent and security deposits.
Later, to supplement incomes from their professional jobs, they devoted spare time to cleaning
and repairing rental properties owned by a Dallas landlady. It helped that Tommy had
served as a plumber’s apprentice during high school. When it came to countertop installations,
wall repairs, floor-finishing and carpentry their can-do spirit helped even more. Soon
enough, their $2-per-hour part-time jobs helped build up a tidy savings account and skill
levels to take on ever-larger projects.
1972, our first home
Bedford, TX
With these two advantages in hand, Tommy and Judi
bought their first home in 1972 - - a woebegone red-brick
3/2 in Bedford, Texas. The place was barely habitable but
they chose it for convenience to Tommy’s job in Dallas and
Judi’s work at the federal prison in Ft. Worth
“Termites had pretty well chewed it up,” chuckled Tommy.
“The floor under the kitchen sink had a hole big enough
to throw a suitcase through. Everything in one bathroom
was so rotted that the toilet stood on nothing more than its
sewer pipe.”.
A year later, with all the damage repaired, fresh paint and
restored wood floors, the couple sold the property for more
than twice what they’d put into it. They closed the deal, rewarded
not only by their sales profit, but the pride of having done the work to revive
the home all by themselves. The Bedford project sparked a fire in the young couple
that would last a lifetime.
Next, they packed up their 1964 El Camino and headed west to settle into their respective
San Diego jobs: analyzing federal prisoners and managing day operations for
Transcon. Here, the Hoover’s savvy for salvaging old homes moved up a notch. This
time, they bought a former sea captain’s timeworn cabin.
Never mind that it was a bit barnacled with age from the 1890s. Its view of San
Diego’s harbor was priceless. So what if the little house’s board-and-batten walls were
only of single thickness? It had a dandy fireplace to ward off those rare Southern California
chills. And, what of all those needy repairs and upgrades to utilities, woodwork
and cabinetry? The Hoovers were undaunted. Just roll up those sleeves and write up a
punch list.