Obituary of Elizabeth Ellen Hoyt

Elizabeth “Betty” Hoyt peacefully departed this world on January 31, 2023. She lived a long and fulfilling life and was ready to rejoin the love of her life and husband of nearly 55 years, Robert “Bob” Hoyt Sr. in Heaven.

Visitation: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Friday, February 10, 2023 at Martin Thompson & Son Funeral Home, 6009 Wedgwood Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76133.

Service: 12 noon, Saturday, February 11, 2023, at St. Francis Village Chapel, 4070 St Francis Village Road, Crowley, Texas, 76036.

Interment: Following the service, an interment will be held at the Benbrook Cemetery, 812 Mercedes Street, Benbrook, Texas, 76126.

Betty, as she was known by everyone, was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania on July 8, 1933. It was there that Betty met Bob, fell in love, and was married. This began the wonderful adventure that was Betty’s life. Together with Bob, Betty traveled the United States from coast to coast and across the world. As an Air Force wife, Betty became accustomed to moving every few years. Moving to new bases, meeting new people, and gaining new “best friends” became a way of life. Along the way, she found time to become a mother as well. Not once, not twice, but five times! Bob Jr. and Tom were born in Pennsylvania. Then after moving to Carswell Air Force Base (AFB) in Fort Worth, Texas, Garry was born. After a brief move to California, they moved back to Fort Worth where Kathy and Debbie were born. In Fort Worth, Betty and Bob bought a home on Carb Drive near the base. This would become home for many years on two separate occasions.

Betty’s family, now seven strong, began the rest of the journey. From Texas, they moved to Roswell, New Mexico and stayed there for several years. In his duties as an Air Force B-52 gunner, Bob was required to spend months away from home during the Vietnam war. It was during these times that Betty displayed her strength as a loving, caring mother and, technically, as head of the household. It was also during these times that she formed strong bonds with other wives as a member and leader of the Gunners Wives Association. She maintained these friendships through the rest of her life. She became involved with the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts to do things with her children while their father was away. It was also here where Betty developed her love of making ceramics. Her family still has some of the Christmas trees and ceramic figures that she made.

From New Mexico, the family moved to Griffiss AFB in Rome, New York. The move finally took her closer to her hometown of Pottsville. She took every opportunity to visit with her parents, her brother and the extended family and friends of her youth. Betty started a new side job to earn a little extra money. She became a manager of the concession stand at the base movie theater. Some of her children were able to work with her, learning valuable skills, but the best part for them was the free movies!

After five years, the family once again returned to Fort Worth where they resided at their home on Carb Drive. Now, with five older children, the house was too small. They sold it and purchased their final home and the one that would become the Family home on Duane Street in Benbrook, Texas. After retiring from the Air Force, they decided to own their own business. They bought a Mobil gas station, complete with auto repair and vehicle inspections. Betty was the accountant; Bob was the manager and some of the kids worked on the pumps, auto repair and inspections. Eventually they sold the station and Bob began a career at the Post Office.

For Betty, this is where more fun began. They found that they could now travel wherever they wanted. They traveled to London and Rome. They bought a motor home and joined a group that traveled together. She loved this. She hosted parties, especially luau themed parties in Benbrook. In 2002, they celebrated 50 years of wonderful marriage.

Then, sadly, Bob passed away. Betty once again showed her strength and character. She sold the Benbrook home and moved to a place she called “wonderful”, St. Francis Village. Here, she continued to make new friends with whom she played cards and her favorite game of all, as she called it, “The Marble Game”. She also renewed her joy of working with ceramics. She loved the St. Francis community and especially the deer and wild turkeys that visited her back door. She stayed with her daughter Debbie who lived with her to help her out. She eventually moved in with her daughter Kathy and son-in-law Steve. Their home had a room dedicated to her needs. She was in that room when she decided it was time to go be with Bob. Everyone misses her terribly, but we know she was ready to go. Some of her last words were “Love you back”.

She is predeceased by her parents, Marlin, and Rita Maurer; and her brother, Charles V. Mauer II. 

Betty is survived by her 5 children, Robert M. Hoyt Jr (Nancy), Thomas C. Hoyt (Cindy), Garry R. Hoyt (Roxanne), Kathleen E. Baumgartner (Stephen) and Deborah L. Saunders; sister-in-law, Alberta Maurer; sister-in-law, Betty Rosenberger (Leo); 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.