Theda Jane Hoyt

Theda Hoyt, of Austin, Texas passed away on April 5, 2019. She was born on February 1, 1927 in Dallas, Texas to R. E. and Alta Jane Nelson. She graduated from Austin High School in 1943, and received a BBA from the University of Texas at Austin in 1947.

Theda worked as an assistant personnel manager for Prudential Insurance Company from 1951 to 1964 in Houston, Texas where she met and married Berton Hoyt on November 9, 1963 at St. Paul Methodist church.

In order to spend more time with her daughter, she became a Girl Scout co-leader for several years. Those who knew her back then knew not to expect much from her on camping trips before she had had her morning coffee. She helped many young ladies develop skills and attributes they found helped them succeed later in life. She also helped coach her daughter’s softball team and even played a few years on a women’s team in which she was the pitcher but due to her advanced age was allowed to have a designated runner when she was up to bat.

Theda was also actively involved in organizations to help the developmentally disabled. She was a member of the Association for Retarded Citizens(ARC) from 1967 to 2012. During that time she helped create the Acadian Village cultural park in Lafayette, Louisiana now run by the Lafayette ARC. She served as president of the ARC and was a volunteer of the year for the Texas branch in 1988. She also helped found Reach Unlimited in 1983, a nonprofit organization that provides support services, including skills training, independent housing, and employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. And finally, she served as a member of the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities for three 6-year terms, lobbying for the rights of those citizens, retiring from that post in 2003.

Theda was proud of her Swedish heritage, embracing it during the holidays with traditional meatballs, lutefisk, and coffee bread served on Christmas Eve. She was a one-of-a-kind individual, sharp witted and willful, but also compassionate and kind. She lived a good long life and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Theda is survive by her husband of 56 years, Bert and her two children Stephen Hoyt of Houston, Texas and Jane Hoyt Smith and son-in-law David Smith of Cedar Park, Texas.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home in Pflugerville. A time of visitation will begin 30 minutes prior to the service.

Memorials in Theda’s honor may be given to Reach Unlimited, Inc. in Houston, Texas.