Audrey A. Hoitsma

Born in Memphis on September 27, 1927, her family of three moved often due to her father’s job as a civil engineer.

At the College of William and Mary she met Lou, the love of her life. Audrey majored in psychology (1949) and served as Pi Beta Phi sorority president. They married in 1950 and spent nearly 40 years at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA., where Lou served as math teacher, football and squash coach, and housemaster. They raised three children. Summers at their lakeside home in Henniker, NH provided respite from busy campus life, with days filled with swimming, hiking, and tending their prolific garden. Audrey had a gift for cooking fresh produce in delicious meals, putting it by for winter, and sharing with others.

Retiring to Williamsburg in 1989, Lou (1925-2008) and Audrey enjoyed biking, walking, attending concerts and athletic games. Gracious hostess, avid reader, museum-goer, and traveler, she enjoyed a good laugh. Audrey became a Master Gardener, a volunteer at church and Colonial Williamsburg, and an active alumna. She served on the President’s Council of the College and received an Olde Guarde Distinguished Service award in 2014.

In 2017 Audrey moved to a memory care unit in Baltimore, where she expressed love and appreciation for caregivers, friends, and family to the end. She leaves behind three children (Ellen of Baltimore, MD; Donna, of Stanley, ID, and Todd, of Bozeman, MT), three grandsons (Matt, Jim, and Ty), and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 12:30 PM on Wednesday, 11/29 at Bruton Parish Episcopal Church in Williamsburg. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Audrey’s memory to FISH Williamsburg and Maryland Food Bank.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.burgee-henss-seitz.com for the Hoitsma family.