Mary Neil Hoback

Mary Neil Hoback passed away peacefully on January 21, just after her 58th birthday. Dubbed “Mernie Neil” by her toddler brothers who could not yet pronounce her name, they later shortened it to “Mern”, and that stuck as her nickname throughout her life. She was preceded in death by paternal grandparents Judge Frederick and Louise Hoback, and by maternal grandparents, Helen and Neil Good; by her father Judge Frederick Hoback Jr, brother Frederick Hoback III, and paternal uncle, William Good. She is survived by her mother, Katheryn Hoback; brother Kirk Hoback; uncles, Charles Van Hoback (Paula) and Andrew Hoback (Nancy); nephews Lane and Hale Hoback; and nieces Ann Katherine and Eliza Kerri Hoback; cousins Van Lear and Heidi Hoback; and special friend Lane Downing.
Mary graduated from Salem High School, where she was pianist for and sang with the Chorale, a great pleasure for her. She also competed in High Jump and the Track team and excelled at it. She was on the Homecoming Court there as well. She went on the Roanoke College where she majored in music, her first love, and graduated in 1982. Following that she attended and graduated from the American Paralegal School in Atlanta. She had a varied career, starting with banking. While there, she developed an interest in culinary arts, and began moonlighting on the side as personal chef, then caterer, and finally as owner of her own deli restaurant. She had an enthusiastic group of followers, looking forward to her special dish, Jambalaya, that she served on Fridays, as well as other favorites. But the restaurant closed in 2008, due to the Great Recession. From that point, she worked as a personal chef until she returned to banking. At the time of her illness, she was working at Wells Fargo as a document specialist, doing work that was highly praised by her supervisor.
Mary had many suitors, but never married, as she said she never could make up her mind. She bought a log cabin in Roanoke County west of Salem, with six acres, a stream, and plenty of deer, bear, and other wildlife. She enjoyed this solitary life with a succession of dogs, the last of which was a setter mix named Scout, whom she took for long country walks. Cancer appeared suddenly and took her life after bravely fighting it for 5 months. The family is grateful to the host of friends who called, visited, sent cards and emails, and sometimes took her for an afternoon outing. Special thanks to friends Dave Thomas and Buster Frantz for helping with furniture rearrangement when Mary moved in with her mother. Thanks also to Good Samaritan hospice employees who did a great job of bringing comfort and pain relief to her. A memorial service will be held later when weather and covid are less threatening.