He was born March 14, 1946, to William and Margaret (Vollum) Hoey in Williston, N.D. He graduated from Earl L. Vandermeulen High School, Port Jefferson, in 1964 and then joined the United States Navy, where he worked on parachutes. He married Janet M. Keen on March 30, 1968, in Maryland.
Mr. Hoey and his family have lived in Flanders for over 32 years. Since 1981, he had owned and operated Hoey's Canvas on Cox Lane, Cutchogue. He was a member of the Riverhead Moose Lodge and enjoyed power boating. According to his wife, he was a "real people person" who loved to talk to new people and had "lots of stories to tell."
In addition to his wife of 40 years, he is survived by his sons Kevin, of Flanders, and Brian, of Perth, Australia; brothers Thomas, of Michigan, and Robert, of East Setauket; and three grandchildren.
Arrangements were handled by McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead. A memorial mass will be held Saturday, Sept. 6, at 10 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Riverhead.
Memorial donations may be directed to the American Lung Association, 61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006 or www.lungusa.org.