Christy Rae Hoy

Christy Rae Hoy passed away peacefully on May 22, 2025. Christy was born in Corpus Christi, TX on December 30, 1961, to Ray and Carolyn Hostutler. Christy and her sisters, Gaye and Rachel, grew up going to the beach, playing competitive tennis, and taking summer trips to the Texas rivers. Christy spoke often of her close relationships with her grandparents and of her favorite pastime of singing with her father as he played guitar; she was a choir member and general music lover. Christy was shy and never quite felt she fit in, but she was fond of saying James Taylor, Elvis, and Jesus got her through high school.

In her early twenties, she met Jimbo Hoy, a larger-than-life force and love of her life. He passed in 2023, just short of their 40-year wedding anniversary. They moved to Seguin, TX in 1989 and finally San Antonio, TX in 1993 where Christy proudly called home for the remainder of her life. Christy always wanted to be a mother, and her dream came to fruition having three daughters: Julie (1985), Janae (1989), and Kelly (1994). She operated as a single working mother with Jimbo “on” at the oil rigs for weeks or months at a time. While she worked as a claims adjuster for more than 25 years to support her family, she still didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up - she had many interests, was highly intelligent and capable, but never found the right fit. Motherhood in itself was it. Christy was complex, she didn’t want motherhood to define her, in fact hated when other mothers had nothing more to discuss than their children, but motherhood was admittedly central to her being. Christy was opinionated, strong, and fiercely independent and she led the household when Jimbo was at the rig and genuinely welcomed him home but continued to assert her voice and leadership upon his returns. She taught her daughters about Jesus, humor, skepticism, loving kindness, determination, sarcasm, and that a minimum of 30 minutes of laughter was required each day (Seinfeld episode counts). Christy navigated parenting challenges with advice and support tailored for each daughter’s needs and personalities. She not only taught but demonstrated justice and advocacy as priority and biblical values even when hard or unpopular. Though she didn’t have a newsworthy career, her life and impact were monumental, felt deeply by her daughters, family, and friends. Christy was incredibly caring and generous with her time and money, and she took in many friends and family members over the years and was the type of friend to offer prayers in time of need, but also action and tangible assistance. Those seeds Christy planted hopefully continue to prosper as those blessed by her pass it forward and as her girls parent and interact with others in their careers in engineering, nursing, and teaching. She loved to joke when parenting mistakes were made that this was just not her year to win the “mother of the year” award. Her girls object. She was simply the best, better than all the rest.

Christy loved the beach, music, art, and interesting people (the less vanilla and more on the fringes, the better). She adored music videos, likely because this medium combined her love of both music and art, from the first days of MTV to the very end with music video montages comforting her on hospice. Christy went on a long walk every evening and encouraged impromptu dance parties. She hated small talk and dove deep swiftly. She was hilarious and irreverent, and her sense of humor and quick wittedness were dark and often borderline inappropriate. These attributes helped her connect, enabling others to open up and share their true selves. She loved turquoise jewelry: allowed large purchases to spark many the argument with Jimbo, enjoyed the hunt with her sister Rachel, and wanted to be adorned in it like a Southwestern Liberace. She had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, loved gospel music, including the Gaithers, and scripture. She loved the news, Schlitterbahn, lights, fiesta, and a perfectly curated room of warm lighting, bright monochrome color palettes, and delicious smells. Horse carriage rides, the river walk, and luminaries were a must at each Christmas. She knew who she was, she knew what she liked, she knew what was right, and her girls will forever appreciate and cherish her.

Christy loved her three son-in-laws, and they each passed the values and are-you-her-equal tests. She struggled with the empty nest years, but Christy and Jimbo loved being grandparents. She named herself “Birdie” on account of her love of birds plus vanity as she was in fact too glamorous for “grandma”. Christy developed young Alzheimer’s and lived with the condition retaining aspects of her beloved personality (e.g., constantly joking, still able to angelically sing old hymns, initiating races with memory care staff and grandkids down the halls) until May 22, 2025, at age 63 when she passed surrounded by her three daughters. The family shares deep gratitude to the staff and residents at Bella Groves memory care where she found happiness and friendship in her final two years. Thank you to Marla and Devoted Care hospice for helping her transition to meet her father in heaven in peace.

Christy Rae Hoy is survived by her daughters and their spouses, Julie Moreira (Renan Moreira), Janae Herrick (Wade Herrick), and Kelly Wood (Jeffrey Wood); grandchildren, Jackson, Boone, Isla, Isaac, and Weston; sisters, Gaye Mountain (Jeff Mountain) and Rachel Webb; nieces, Jennifer Mountain, Rachel Watts, Jordan Webb, and Anne Marie Webb; her friends to the end, Leo Lopez, Sharon Gonzalez, and Patty Johnson. She is preceded in death by her husband, James “Jimbo” Hoy; mother, Carolyn Hostutler, and father, Ray Hostutler.