Sammy Paul Hoyle Sr.

Sam received a Bachelor’s Degree from Cameron University, Lawton, Oklahoma and a Masters Degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Sam had a long and illustrious career in federal service. Sam began his career as a postal clerk on the Railway Mail Service. He then transferred to Fort Sill, Oklahoma as an exhibit specialist at the Fort Sill Museum. Sam designed and constructed the 45th Infantry Museum exhibits at the Armory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and designed and constructed the exhibits for Andersonville National Historic Site, Georgia.

In 1977, Sam transferred from the Fort Sill Museum to the Fort Bliss Museums where he remained until his retirement in 1998. During his tenure at Fort Bliss Museums he developed a bi-cultural living history program at the museum for the El Paso Schools. Under his guidance the Museum became one of the first U.S. Army Museums to be accredited by the American Association of Museums and Certified by the U.S. Army Museum System.

Sam was one of the foremost museum professionals in the U.S and was always ready to lend a helping hand to other institutions and fellow museum professionals. He served as President of the Mountain-Plains Museum Association, and the Texas Association of Museums.

Sam served for many years as a faculty member of the University of Texas, Winedale Seminar for Museum Professionals, served as an instructor at the U.S. Army Museum System Training Courses and was an instructor at the National Park Service Curatorial Methods Course.

Sam worked with the American Association of Museums Museum Assessment Program and served on their Accreditation Committee for Museums. Sam served as a Team Captain for the U.S. Army Museums Certification Program and after his retirement, as a reviewing official for all other U.S. Army Museum System Certification Team inspection reports. Sam wrote numerous publications for use by museum professionals.

Sam was one of the architects of the modern Army Museum Program. In the 1980s and 1990s he defined and shaped a loose conglomerate of over 60 museums into a cohesive organization with clearly established standards and objectives. He developed what became the Army’s certification inspection program for museums. This program set high professional, exhibition, and collections management requirements that every museum had to meet and maintain. His efforts revolutionized museum operations and resulted in professionally staffed, well managed, and very sophisticated museums. He educated a generation of curators who took his passion, love of the museum profession, and his spirit of creativity forward. Sam Hoyle’s legacy is a system consisting of 62 museums that train over 500,000 soldiers annually and receive over 2 million visitors a year.

Sam leaves behind his beloved wife of 52 years, Helen Hoyle; his daughters Sandra Rivera (Angel), of El Paso; Sherry Easum (Paul) of Rockwall, Texas; and son Sam Hoyle (Jill) of Las Vegas, Nevada, and his six grandchildren: Krista Rivera-Torres (Eddie), Jessica Hoyle, Sara Easum, Frankie Rivera, John Easum and Vanessa Hoyle. Sam is also survived by his sister Carey Glover (Jim), and a number of nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and dear friends. Sam was preceded in death by his parents Agnes Conner and Embry Hoyle, and his brother David Hoyle and sister Bonnie Coulter.

The family would like to extend their sincerest appreciation to Dr. Branch Craige and his staff for many years of wonderful care.

We would also like to thank the Trinity staff, especially Gloria for her compassion.

Sam will be missed by his family, his many friends and the museum community at large.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, December 9, 2011 at 11:00 am at Funeraria Del Angel Martin East Chapel.

Service arrangements have been entrusted to the care of FUNERARIA DEL ANGEL MARTIN EAST 1460 GEORGE DIETER DRIVE EL PASO, TEXAS 79936. 915-855-8881. www.martinfuneralhomeeast.com