Michele (Morris) Hovland was born Nov. 6, 1960, in Ventura, Calif., the daughter of Chuck and Carolyn (Williams) Morris. She attended Cassville High School. After graduating she attended SMSU/MSU obtaining a Bachelor of Arts, Master’s of Education, Master’s of Counseling and a Master’s of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Penn. She was united in marriage to Russell Melton who preceded her in death in 2001. In 2009, she was united in marriage to her current husband Chief Warrant Officer 3 (Ret) Darrell Hovland. They ran a farm in Jenkins, where they raised their beautiful daughter Charley.
Colonel (RET) Michele Hovland’s military career started on 18 August 1982. She was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Air Defense Artillery, Regular Army working with both the German and Dutch Air Force with the Nike Hercules nuclear missile. She transferred into Signal Corps and was stationed with the 24th Infantry Division, where she deployed to Saudi Arabia for both Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Upon redeployment she immediately volunteered for assignment in South Korea and served as a Company Commander of the largest signal company in Korea. After 10 years of active duty, she opted to pursue her goal and work with children. Within two years she was back in uniform with the Army National Guard in both California and Missouri culminating as 135th Signal Battalion Command. Michele was the first female Brigade Commander in Missouri’s Army National
Guard of the 70th Troop Command, the largest Brigade in Missouri with 3000 troops and was also the first female from the Missouri Army National Guard to attend resident course of the U.S. Army War College. She retired from the National Guard 31 August 2012.
Michele and her husband started Kids of Our Heroes Adventure Camp, a non-profit organization, on their farm in Jenkins where they were able to still give back. Kids of Our Heroes Adventure Camp was a kid’s camp for kids of Military and First responders who had lost a parent or was injured in the line of duty.
She is survived by her husband, Darrell Hovland, stepson, Gavin Hovland, daughter, Charley Melton-Hovland, her sister, Tania Morris of Cassville, Mo., and brothers, Bill Butler of St. Louis, Mo., and Chris Fields of Adams, Tenn.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at First Baptist Church in Cassville under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Pastor James Weaver will conduct the services. Burial with military honors will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 20, 2022, at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis.
Contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Cassville.
PAID OBITUARY
