Robert Martin Hovald, was born at Waseca, Minnesota, being the only child of John M. and Edna H. (Klingbeil) Hovald. His early education took place at Sacred Heart Grammar School (1929-1937) and Sacred Heart High School (1937-1941), Waseca. He attended Mankato Commercial College, Mankato, Minnesota; St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota; and Loras College, Dubuque, IA. Following college he worked as an accountant and office manager for Herter's Inc.

On March 27, 1952, he entered the novitiate for cooperator brothers at St. Peter Martyr Priory, Winona, Minnesota, and made his first profession of vows there on March 28, 1953. He continued there for a year and was then assigned to the Aquinas Newman Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico (1954-56), where he did maintenance work and served as cook, sacristan and organist. In 1 956 he was assigned to St. Pius V Priory, Chicago, Illinois, and after serving as secretary for a year, was sent to St. Rose of Lima Priory, Dubuque, Iowa, where he engaged in various ministries to the community.

In August 1958, he was assigned to St. Anthony of Padua Priory, New Orleans, Louisiana, as parish accountant and director of religious education. During this assignment he made his profession of solemn vows on March 28, 1959. Brother Regis remained at St. Anthony's for twenty-two years and became known for his work in religious education. For a time he was an instructor in the Catechist Training Program for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. In 1981 he moved to St. Pius V Priory, Chica go, Illinois, and devoted his energies part-time to the Dominican Laity Office and part-time to the religious education programs at St. Pius V Parish and St. Adalbert Parish. In 1982 he became provincial Promoter of the Dominican Laity, a ministry that he fulfilled for fifteen years. At the same time he was Director of Dominican Confraternities. In 1990 he transferred the Dominican Laity Office to St. Thomas Aquinas Priory, River Forest, Illinois.

Declining health forced him to relinquish his work with the Dominican Laity and to enter limited service while continuing to reside at St. Thomas Aquinas Priory. His health continued to worsen, and it was necessary to move him to Resurrection Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Park Ridge, Illinois. In May 2003, it was necessary to hospitalize him at Resurrection Hospital, Chicago, where he died in the early morning hours of May 17, 2003. His funeral was celebrated at St. Pius V Church, Chicago, on May 20, 2003, and he was buried in the Dominican Plot in All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines, Illinois.