Libby was born April 29, 1922 in Suffolk, Virginia to Wolcott E. Spofford and Dorothy Hale Spofford and was married to John C. Hyatt for 55 years until his death in 1997.
She is survived by sons Philip and wife Banyen of Austin, daughter-in-law Cherie Cross of New Braunfels, TX and Paul and wife Gwen of Denmark, Australia; grandchildren Hillary Summers and husband Robert of Marfa, TX, Clifton Hyatt of Austin, Nicole Polston and husband Scott of New Braunfels, TX, and Natalie Jones and husband Layne of Houston, TX; great-grandchildren Trent Hyatt, Walker and Rowan Summers of Austin, Jackson, Hannah and Cooper Polston of New Braunfels, TX, Reagan and Savannah Jones of Houston, TX; and, great-great grandson Christopher Hyatt of Austin. She was preceded in death by son Douglas and grandson Christopher Hyatt.
Libby graduated from Pasadena (CA) High School and attended the University of Texas at Austin where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. Libby was the first president of the University of Texas chapter of the Campus League of Women Voters.
She met law school student John Hyatt while at UT and they were married in 1942 while he was then an instructor at the Great Lakes U S Naval Midshipmen's School. When John shipped out of San Francisco as an officer aboard the destroyer U.S.S. Sproston for the first of two Pacific Theater patrols, Libby relocated from Chicago to the ship’s home port of San Francisco and worked for the Salvation Army for the remainder of WWII.
After the war Libby and John returned to Austin and their family expanded with the births of Philip and Douglas. The family moved frequently in the early 1950’s, locating in Woodville, TX, then a return to Austin and next to Temple, TX.
After a summer trip to the Pacific Northwest in 1952, it was decided to once again relocate – this time to Portland, OR. In Portland, Libby oversaw the growth and daily activities of her two active sons, two cats and a dog while also remodeling a 1912 vintage farmhouse. Libby was an active PTA member. She also enjoyed collecting antiques and canning the many fruits and vegetables that arrived in the area each summer.
A third son, Paul, was born in 1958. The family relocated again in 1959, back to Austin with an intermediate short residence in Topeka, KS.
In Austin for good, Libby completed raising her three sons and lived an active social life including many thousands of hours of service with St. David’s Hospital volunteers and numerous activities as a member of First Presbyterian Church. While overseeing four local moves during the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, she was thrilled with another family expansion with the marriage of her sons, the welcoming of three daughters-in-law and the wonderful gift of grandchildren.
During this final Austin domicile she enjoyed weekends on the houseboat on Lake Travis, vacation weeks in Port Aransas, and trips to Houston, New Orleans, LA, Casper, WY, Elk City, OK and Trinidad/Tobago to visit her sons and their families.
Her first great-grandchild arrived in 1994. She was delighted to welcome eight more great-grands over the next eighteen years. Libby always opened a special steamer chest full of toys when the children came to visit her Duval home.
Here in Austin, she enjoyed the birds that came to her feeders, tending her garden, the company of her Siamese cat and the many chances to be with an extended family that adored her and were the center of her life.
Libby’s family members were honored to celebrate her 100th birthday with her at a very special birthday party where she got to meet her first great-great grandchild for the very first time.
Her ashes will be interred in a private service at Austin Memorial Park.
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