Marian Bernice Hovater Singer was born in Dickson, TN, on December 27, 1932. When she was seven years old, she began singing with a gospel quartet known as the Dickson Rangers. Her mother was the quartet’s piano player and Marian’s father sang tenor. Marian was so much smaller than the other members of the quartet that they stood her on a folding chair when the quartet performed or recorded. This was the origin of the nickname “Shorty,” which her parents used for her for the rest of their lives. The Dickson Rangers produced eight records and had a 30 minute radio show on WSIX in Nashville. They also sang regularly with Wally Fowler’s all night gospel performances at the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of The Grand Ole Opry.
After the quartet disbanded, Marian’s parents moved to Ohio and Marian attended college at Emory and Henry College in Virginia. Church music remained a major focus for Marian, however, and she served as a church musician (in various churches) throughout her life. She left college after one semester and moved to Ohio to be with her parents. She was working as an office secretary when she met Hovah Hovater. She and Hovah married and had two children, Martha and Steven. Hovah and Marian bought a home in Brookpark, Ohio, where they lived until 1967, when they moved the family to Alabama. They eventually built a home on the Tennessee River and lived there until Hovah’s retirement. After selling their home, they traveled around the country in a fifth-wheel camper. However, after 40 years of marriage, Marian and Hovah parted ways in 1993. Hovah remained in Tucson, AZ, and Marian returned to Alabama.
In 1997, Marian moved to Hampstead, NH, and eventually became a member of Hampstead Union Church, where she served not only as a church musician, but also as a deacon, and she was heavily involved in various other church activities.
Most of Marian’s immediate family predeceased her: her parents, Bernice and Vernon Davis of Camden, TN; her brother, Kenneth, of Cleveland, OH; her sisters, Helen Davis of Jackson, TN, and Doris Hargis of Nashville, TN, and her infant grandson, Christopher Hovater. Marian is survived by her daughter, Dr. Martha Horn and her partner, Barbara White, of Laurel, Maryland; her son, Steven Hovater and his wife, Katrina, of Candia, NH. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Katherine Johnson of Laurel, MD; Amber Janvrin and her husband, Nathan, of Candia, NH; Paul Johnson of Oxford, MS; Jordan Hovater and his partner, Bill Heinz of Boscawen, NH; and four great-grandchildren, Erica Maples of Salisbury, MD; Nadia Johnson of Laurel, MD; James Cook of Salisbury, MD; and Mason Hovater of Candia, NH.
Visitation was held for Marian at East Hampstead Union Church from 1:00 to 2:00 pm on Sunday, August 17, 2014 followed by the funeral service at 2 pm. Burial was held at 11 am on Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at Liberty Methodist Church Cemetery in Camden, TN.