Bradford Weldon “Brad” Hovious

Bradford Weldon Hovious (Brad/Bo/Boo) passed away on April 7, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee, after battling Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia for over a decade. Born on January 23, 1946, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Kitty and Junie Hovious, he grew up with his three brothers and best friends in Faculty House 2 on the Ole Miss campus. It was during these magical years his lifelong love of sports, the Rebels and people began. His childhood provided some of the happiest and most memorable years of his life and was the foundation for both his career and some of his favorite stories.

A gifted athlete, Brad played whatever sport was in season growing up and lettered in basketball and tennis while a student at Ole Miss. Following graduation, he served in the United States Army, achieving the rank of First Lieutenant. After earning his Master’s Degree in Sports Administration from Ohio University and Doctorate in Education from LSU, he was named Athletic Director at Delta State University in 1977. He proceeded to serve in that capacity at both the University of Texas at El Paso and Arkansas State University and finished his career in Houston where he worked in athletics at Rice University and Houston Baptist University.

His work allowed him the opportunity to share his passion for sports and to utilize one of his greatest gifts: encouragement. Whether sending an “Attaboy” card to an athlete or spending time with a coach, he relished supporting others. That wasn’t limited to his work, as he never met a stranger and was always as anxious to hear others’ stories as he was to tell his own.

Fortunately, after suffering a stroke in 2005, he was blessed with two more decades of good health, and during that time, he and his beloved wife Marcia had adventures near and far with friends and family. He loved playing golf with his brothers; instilled a deep love of college football in his daughters and made sure they knew how to read a defensive front; and proudly supported his grandchildren in their sports and activities. In fact, he was only boastful when speaking of them.

Brad was not shy about sharing his faith and at various stops along his way he served as a church elder and Sunday school teacher. He especially loved being a member of the Boomers’ Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Church in Houston, where he and his classmates were known to play poker and give the pot to missions. His family takes great comfort in knowing he is now fully restored in Christ’s presence.

Brad was preceded in death by his parents and older brother Bill Hovious. He is survived by his wife, Marcia, who cared for him so well and lovingly every step of his journey with Alzheimer’s; daughters, Mary Katherine Stout (Elmer) of Memphis, TN, and Taylor Wilkinson (Hassell) of Oxford, MS; stepchildren, Greg Cohen (Mary) of Dallas, TX, and Hally Cohen (John Bloomberg) of Santa Monica, CA; grandchildren, Hassell, Owen and Weldon Wilkinson, Sarah Taylor Stout, and Katie, Seth and Charlie Cohen; brothers, Allen Hovious (Lucy) of Nashville and Bob Hovious (Terri) of Oxford; stepbrothers, Steve Hale (Mary Lou) of Oxford and Greg Hale (Melly) of Orlando; and his nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family would like to thank the staff at Brookdale Belle Meade for their care of Brad during the last 2 years. After a private family burial, a memorial reception celebrating his life will be held in West Hall at Waller Funeral Home in Oxford, MS, on Saturday, May 2, from 2:00-4:00 P.M., with a special time for shared remembrances beginning at 3:30 P.M. All friends, whom his family considers honorary pallbearers, are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Alzheimer’s Disease Research through the BrightFocus Foundation www.brightfocus.org or to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation www.t2t.org .