Myllie Hoover passed away peacefully with her daughters at her side on June 13, 2024, in Reno, due to complications from COPD. Born November 17, 1933, she was the younger daughter of Chris and Marie Cordes, Sr., of Gardnerville, and a proud member of a ranching family in the Carson Valley.
After graduating from Douglas High School in 1951, Myllie attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and the UNR cheerleading squad. In 1952 she was crowned Miss Reno Rodeo, a highlight of her and her family’s life. Myllie married Dan Jenkins of Reno in 1954. Daughter Kay was born in 1955, then Krista four years later. The family moved to Gardnerville in 1965, where they built a home on Centerville Lane.
While raising her youngsters in Gardnerville, Myllie was a lively member of Minden Fort Nightly. Later in life she and her cousins met regularly, dubbing themselves the “Cordes Cousins.” Their endeavors included publishing a book of their aunt Frieda Goedecke’s columns in the Record Courier newspaper about life in Gardnerville. The book was titled “Freida’s Files.” They also put together a winning Carson Valley Days float as the Cordes Cousins Chickens.
Myllie said her ability to use a keyboard always made her a living. In Gardnerville she was the secretary for the Douglas County probation department and for district court judges Richard Waters and Noel Manoukian. After a divorce and return to Reno, she was employed as the manager of the word processing division at the Washoe County District Attorney’s office. She later co-owned a successful business that sold NBI word processors. Later Myllie became the associate director of the TMCC Institute for Business and Industry where she marketed computer software classes to local businesses and taught computer skills to seniors. After retirement, she became a member of the Assistance League of Reno/Sparks.
Myllie was persistently optimistic and faced many challenges with her faith in God and a positive attitude! She was a talented seamstress, knitter, furniture refinisher, and home decorator. She was a wonderful mother and a beautiful soul, who always supported her daughters in all their endeavors.
Myllie was preceded in death by her parents, Chris and Marie Cordes, Sr., and her brother and sister-in-law Chris and Betty Cordes, Jr. She is survived by her daughters Kay (Rick) Smith of Green Valley, Arizona, Krista Jenkins of Gardnerville, her sister Lois Thran of Gardnerville, and many 10.5beloved nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at the Douglas County Historical Society on Sunday July 28th, at 1:00 pm, located at 1479 US Highway 395 N in Gardnerville. In lieu of flowers, Myllie’s daughters ask that donations be made to the Douglas County Historical Society or the Miss Reno Rodeo Foundation.