The community was stunned last Friday night at the news of the tragic death of a Liberty Center High School senior, Thomas M. Hoover, 17, of Rt. 2, Liberty Center.

The youth was killed at about 11:29 p.m. Friday when his small foreign car skidded on icy pavement into the path of an approaching auto driven by Bruce Griteman of Rt. 1, Napoleon.

The youth was pronounced dead at Heller Memorial Hospital. Griteman who received lacerations of the mouth, was treated and released.

The accident occurred about two miles west of Liberty Center on County Road T., when Hoover's eastbound car went out of control and skidded across the center line and was struck broadside by the Griteman auto.

The Hoover youth is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hoover. He had been elected to the National Honor Society the very day of his death, but was unaware of the fact since the names had not been revealed.

He had been a member of the Liberty Center Marching and concert bands all during his high school years playing a variety of percussion instruments, and was also to portray the part of Charles Davenport, one of the principal parts in the high school musical, which is to be presented in April.

He was a member of the Future Teachers Association, Tiger Tales staff and had had a lead in the senior class play "Tom Jones." He was also a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church Walther league.

Born in Napoleon, March 28, 1954, he had been a life long resident of Henry County. Surviving besides his parents are one brother, Richard, sister Mary Beth, both at home, and grandfather Edward Leonard, Rt. 2, Liberty Center.

The Liberty Center schools were dismissed Tuesday afternoon for the funeral services which were held in St. Paul Lutheran Church, Liberty Center. Burial was in Young Cemetery.