Ann Lawton Hovan

Ann Lawton Hovan of Ridgewood, NJ, passed away on March 29, 2025, at the age of 96.

Ann was raised first in Hawthorne and then in Wyckoff, NJ, by her loving parents Frank C. Lawton Sr. and Gladys Cooper Lawton.

Ann will be dearly missed by all who had the good fortune to know her. She is survived by her daughters Amy Bowen (Timothy) and Meg Sample (John), and grandchildren Emma Pyle (Adrian), Danny Sample (Bryce), Dean Sample and Henry Bowen and one great- grandson, Rainer Pyle. Ann’s love for her family was reciprocated by the ongoing devotion of several generations of extended family members.

After earning a degree from Beaver College, Ann was employed by Ridgewood Public Schools as an elementary classroom teacher. She married the love of her life, Joseph Hovan, in 1956, and together they purchased their first and only family home in Ridgewood. Ann enjoyed developing life-long neighborhood connections during her six decades in her home. She was a proud stay-at-home Mom until returning to part-time work as a supplemental teacher at Ridgewood High School. Ann also worked at the Village of Ridgewood library.

Ann was a self-described "Anglophile" who enjoyed multiple summer excursions exploring the English countryside and gardens. She was also a fierce supporter of environmental causes, and she contributed to many organizations including The Nature Conservancy, The Fyke Nature Association and The Celery Farm. She had also contributed to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She had a subscription to the New York Times for over 50 years and continued to read the daily paper and have spirited conversations about the news of the day up until the very end of her life. Ann enjoyed birds and bird identification. She was truly interesting and interested in all things. 

Ann was predeceased by her husband Joe, her siblings Frank C. Lawton Jr., Alice Cole, and Bob Lawton, as well as her son Joel who passed away in 1970.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00am on Saturday April 5, 2025, at First Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood. Immediately following the service, we invite family and friends to visit for a short reception at the church. Private family interment will follow at Tranquility Cemetery in Green Township, NJ.

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