Harold Edward “Ed” Hoyt, 80, a resident of Sedro-Woolley, passed away at his home on Saturday, March 16, 2013.
Ed was born on January 28, 1933 in Sedro-Woolley, WA, the third child born to Bob and Mary Hoyt of Prairie, and the grandson of Joe & Annie Hoyt and Charles & Anna Newberg.
Ed grew-up in the small community of Prairie, where he attended grade school at Samish and graduated from the Sedro-Woolley High School with the class of 1951. During his high school years he worked part-time for Tradewell Food Stores in Sedro-Woolley, a Seattle based supermarket chain. After graduation he started working full time in Sedro-Woolley and then later in Mount Vernon, where he worked his way up to assistant store manager. In 1954 he was promoted to district relief manager for the chain’s northern district, and in 1955 he was promoted to manager of the Mount Vernon store. In 1956 he was transferred to Seattle where he managed several stores in the greater Seattle area.
Ed left Tradewell Stores in 1957 and went to work for the Foods Division of The Borden Company as a sales representative, where he would serve in various sales positions and locations over the next eight or nine years. During this time he also worked part-time for A & P Food Stores and went to night school at the U of Washington. In the mid 1960’s he transferred to the Food Division’s new military sales unit, working out of San Francisco, CA, covering the Pacific Northwest as district sales manager. In 1970 he was promoted to regional sales manager for the southern region, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, with responsibilities for the 13 southeastern states. Then in 1974 he was transferred to the corporate headquarters in Columbus, Oh, where he set-up and directed the marketing and new business development department for the military sales unit. In 1976 he was asked to join the Food Division’s new foodservice sales unit as regional sales manger for the central region, headquartered in Chicago, Ill, with responsibilities for the 11 central states.
In 1978, and after almost 22 years with The Borden Company, Ed left the company and joined the Foodservice Division of Del Monte Foods, as central regional sales manager, a position he held until 1986 when he was asked if he would like to transfer out to San Francisco, CA as western regional sale manager with responsibilities for the 7 western states, plus Alaska and Hawaii.
In 1956 Ed had married Hazel M. Martin of Sunnyside, WA and together they had two children, David Edward and Jayne Marie. In 1986 he married Joan F. Welk of Oak Lawn, Ill.
In 1989 Ed decided it was time to take early retirement and go back home. During the 38 years that Ed spent in the food industry he received many honors and awards for his achievements, to which he always said that he was only doing his job. After spending a few more years in the bay area and doing some traveling, it was now time for Ed and Joan to head home and start building that retirement home on “The Ranch” at Warner Prairie, that they had started planning when they bought the ranch from the families back in the mid 1980’s.
Though Ed left Sedro-Woolley and the Skagit county area many years ago, he never lost his strong ties to his family, friends, and to the community where he grew-up, which he was always proud to talk about. Shortly before his death he was asked if he had any regrets as to his life. “When I was 12 years old I was stricken with phenomena and rhythmic fever, which left me with a severe heart condition, which greatly restricted my physical actives. Like most boys of my age, sports was a big part of our lives. It was always so hard not being able to participate, but only able to just stand on the sidelines and watch. But then the good Lord has been very good to me all these years, with a wonderful family, great friends and good health. So I guess, I really have no real regrets.”
For many years Ed was a member of the Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church in Seattle. He was also a long time member of the Port Angeles Naval Elks Lodge, #353, and was a past president of The Sedro-Woolley High School Alumni Association, to which he continued to be active in the association for many years. Though Ed followed the sports and the business world, in his later years his attention turned more and more to working on his ranch, being with family & friends, and spending time with his two dogs Addie & Nate, just roaming through the woods and field at the ranch. Ed also spent a great deal of time researching and writing about the Hoyt family history, as he felt it was so important that this history be preserve for all future generations.
Ed is survived by his son, David of Yakima, WA; his daughter, Jayne Hoyt; grandson, Dustin and great-granddaughter Kiena of Zillah, WA; step-son, Richard Welk and step-daughter, Margaret Welk-Cook of Chicago, IL; and his dog, a faithful companion, Annie.
Ed was preceded in death by his father in 1974, wife Joan in 1994, mother in 1999, brother Don and sister Mary Ann, both in 2002 and his two dogs Addie and Nate, who became his constant companions during the later years of his life.
A Graveside Service will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, March 22, 2013, at the Union Cemetery, Sedro-Woolley.