Mary Beth Hoyt

Mary Elizabeth Hoyt of University Park, Texas passed away on December 3, 2016. Born in Philadelphia, PA on September 28, 1951, she was raised in Summit, NJ and during her life lived in Richmond, VA., Sleepy Hollow, N.Y, New Orleans, LA., and Dallas. She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Tom, her sister Frances Budris, her mother-in-law Maureen Hoyt, brothers-in-law Leon & Michael Hoyt and sisters in law Patricia and Joan Hoyt. Her extended family includes nephews Tom Budris, Nicholas Hoyt, Gregory Hoyt and Sean Hoyt; nieces Allison Pierce, Carrie Hoyt, Erin Hoyt, Jennifer Mongrief and Elizabeth Baskind; and four grandnephews Paul, Andrew and Benjamin Pierce and Ryan Ferguson. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas J. and Mary Esther Putz, sister Janice Baskind and brother-in-law Paul Budris.

Mary Beth, also known as “MB” to many, was a kind and gentle person who always had a ready smile, a sharp sense of humor, and a quick laugh that made people and animals (certainly better judges of character than humans) immediately comfortable with her. She had an unlimited reservoir of optimism and self-reliance.

MB was unpretentious, down to earth, and always saw the best in people. She derived genuine joy from the smallest things in life and believed that “today was good, but tomorrow would be better”.

Mary Beth was an insatiable reader (the moniker of “U.P. Bookworm” was assigned by a friend) and derived great joy from teaching young children to read. A graduate of Lynchburg College in Virginia, MB was an elementary grades educator in Virginia and Texas and reading tutor in New York, New Orleans and Dallas. She spent endless hours trying to help children who struggled to read whether because English was their second language or they had other challenges. She was an active volunteer at the University Park Public Library until the end of her life

She led an active outdoor life as a runner, kayaker along the coast of Maine, avid swimmer and aqua-aerobics participant, golfer, and practitioner of different types of yoga.

Mary Beth should have been born with gills. She had an incredible love for being in a pool or the ocean. It was not unusual for her to wear multiple swimsuits in the course of a day as she went in and out of her pool numerous times. After one of her abdominal surgeries, she was wearing a two piece bathing suit while some neighbor kids were in her pool. The kids couldn’t help staring and asked MB what happened to her stomach – she replied: “that’s where I got shot”. She had instant ‘street cred’ with the kids from then on.

She was a willing, co-adventurer with her husband, Tom, frequently traveling the world. Adventures included traveling as a couple into East Germany shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union and river cruises deep into central China and through Russia and Europe. After any trip she was always excited to plan where their next adventure might be.

A celebration of Mary Beth’s life will be held at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home at 7:00 PM on Friday, January 6th, 2017. A reception will be held immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, Mary Beth’s family requests that a contribution be made in her name to: Friends of University Park Public Library, 3419 Westminster Avenue, 335-G, Dallas, Texas 75205.