Tamyra Rae Hoff

She was born in Norman, Oklahoma. Her family moved to Arlington in her teens where she attended Lamar High School. To help fund her education, Tammy worked summers at Six Flags Over Texas, where she would ultimately meet her husband, Chris, in 1987. Chris and Tammy married in January 1992 and lived in Arlington until her passing.

Tammy graduated from the University of Oklahoma (OU) with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in 1989. Upon receiving her BSN degree, she began her career in healthcare at Cook Children’s Hospital (became CCMC) in Fort Worth, in the growing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). During her employment, Tammy continued to show her academic prowess by earning her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Regis University.

It has been said that healthcare isn’t a profession, it’s a calling. This is clearly evidenced by Tammy’s insatiable appetite for learning, serving, and developing others. She quickly grew into leadership roles at the CCMC NICU. She served on a variety of professional and community service boards and committees, and she enjoyed producing research and lecturing on emerging issues in the NICU setting.

Three main projects that Tammy developed and implemented helped to shape the CCMC NICU. They include: (1) the NICU PICC line team, which ultimately was recognized as setting the standard for NICU’s across the country and world; (2) the Milk Bank when the CCMC new NICU was built; supervising that program and optimizing effectiveness and consistency through standard protocols; and (3) the NICU Child Passenger Safety Program.

She received numerous awards recognizing her efforts, including a Healthcare Hero Award from the Fort Worth Business Press, an award from the US Department of Health and Human Services for Critical Care, the Nina Jackson Network Star Award, and a Cook Children’s Great 10 Nurse Recognition.

Always wanting to give more to her field, in her spare time Tammy served as an educator for Tarrant County College and as an adjunct faculty at Grand Canyon University teaching online courses on nursing research. She also provided expert witness testimony for multiple legal cases around the country.

Tammy was invigorated in 2022 to have started a new position with Baylor Scott & White All Saints Hospital in Fort Worth as a Director of their Magnet program, one in which she was sure to excel and provide innovative development for that organization.

As the daughter of an OU college football player and Norman High School football coach, Tammy was a fiercely knowledgeable and loyal college football fan. Her two brothers and two sons all worked for the OU Athletic Department and with football, which only amplified her knowledge and support for that program. Friends, acquaintances, and coworkers knew if they wanted to talk football or engage in rival banter, they better be prepared for a very spirited level of interaction.

Tammy was predeceased by her parents Wray and Dee Littlejohn. She is survived by brother David Littlejohn of Norman, Oklahoma; brother Jay and wife Stephanie also of Norman; son Brandon of Cleveland, Ohio; son Kyle and wife Emilee of Ada, Oklahoma, and husband Chris of Arlington, Texas. Her maternal pride was beaming in 2022 as her son Brandon graduated medical school and began his career as a resident physician, and Kyle and Emilee celebrated their vows.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to support rheumatoid arthritis via the arthritis foundation at https://www.arthritis.org/science/focus/rheumatoid-arthritis