James Rawlins Hoyt

He was born December 3, 1940 in Denver, CO to Joseph Rawlins Hoyt and Wilma Irene Britton. His formative years were spent in Littleton, CO before the family moved to Walla Walla, WA in the early 50’s. “Jim” was tall and broad shouldered; he got his height early, hitting the six-foot mark by the time he was 13 and his full six-foot-four by age 16. He offhandedly remarked that he was hired underage to drive truck during the local wheat harvest simply because he “looked plenty old enough.”

James had special powers that he was lucky enough to call upon throughout his life. They were: 1.) He had a special way with animals. It was simple: they loved him, and he loved them. Dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, you name it. He could coax tricks and obedience out of them with ease. 2.) He was blessed with an engineer’s mind, a carpenter’s hands, and a passion for all things with motors and wheels. Whether it was cars, trucks or motorcycles – he loved customizing them to look cooler and go faster. And, if he couldn't design it, build it or fix it, he used his next superpower, 3.) his curiosity, to acquire more knowledge and skills. James loved learning, and he did his research the old-fashioned way – he sought out the experts, asked tons of questions, and read every book or magazine article on the chosen subject that he could get his hands on.

His size prompted LOTS of coaxing to try out for team sports like football and basketball, but he found more enjoyment in the individual sports of boxing and wrestling. By accounts he became good with his fists; he was a lefty with long arms, making him a dangerous opponent. He admitted having a “rough and tumble” side (wink, wink), one that may have seen him use his fists in “unsanctioned” ways, but details here are a bit sketchy ;-) James also gravitated to the 4H and F.F.A. clubs where he freely indulged his love of animals.

During high school James decided to enlist and serve: first in the WA Army National Guard, then in the US Navy. After basic training in 1958 he was stationed at Moffett Field, CA and worked on the flight line. It was during this time that he met a local girl, Barbara Rae Shaw, and they fell in love. He made the decision to leave the Navy and in September 1959 he and Barbara were married.

The couple moved back to Walla Walla to begin their new life together. In July 1961 they welcomed their first-born, a son they named James Christopher. After working some part-time, temporary jobs Jim accepted a full-time role as a police officer in Vallejo, CA. James requested the K-9 detail, which also gave him an opportunity to use his skill with animals in this newfound occupation. Soon, another member was added to the family, a handsome German Shepherd named “Rhone.”

Two more children came during his stay in Vallejo – daughters Lynne Marie and Dawn Elizabeth were born. From Vallejo PD he transferred to Sausalito, CA, where he was then recruited to start a new police force across the Bay in unincorporated Union City, CA. His new badge number would be #5, making him one of their earliest hires.

James enjoyed his new role but decided he needed a break, so he took a hiatus from police work to embark on a state sponsored apprenticeship program where he earned a journeyman certification as an auto mechanic. It was during this time that he indulged his love of cars and racing, becoming a card-carrying NASCAR owner/operator of stock car #79N. Family in tow, James competed in dirt track racing events in and around Sonoma County, CA. He also spent lots of time at the local dragstrips and speedways; the hobby grew into a family affair when he sponsored his son’s entry into racing by building him a Quarter Midget race car. Soon, police work called again, and the pull was too great to ignore. In late 1969 James resumed life as a Union City Police Officer.

During the early 70’s he and some friends founded a car club in Fremont, CA: the “Nor Cal Early Irons” club soon grew into the “Goodguys” brand, a national organization known for hosting hot rodding shows and events featuring restored vintage cars, modified “Hot Rods” and other customized vehicles.

Jim loved returning to his life as a Patrolman; he would regale family and friends with stories of life on the beat. James especially enjoyed working the graveyard shift. He loved the peace and quiet and would often remark on the beauty of seeing the sun rise at the end of his shift.

There were many police shows on television in the 60’s and 70’s, and it was interesting to compare James’ real-life stories with those depicted on screen. One show in particular captured James attention: it was the “Barney Miller” show, which ran during the mid-70’s. The relationships, the humor…he felt that this show captured the “daily ironies” instead of portraying made-for-TV drama. He would say “now THAT show reminds me of police work!”

One of the highlights of his career was being selected to create Union City’s first motorcycle-based traffic detail. He attended the CHP Motorcycle Academy in 1971, graduated, and was rewarded with a shiny new Harley-Davidson Electra-Glide police special.

James was an imposing figure in his helmet, leather coat and riding boots, and nothing was more ominous than hearing the approach of that raspy, rumbling Harley.

Unfortunately, Jim experienced a serious on-the-job injury as a traffic officer, one that required that he retire altogether from police work. He then became Union City P.D.’s first official retiree, in 1972.

In 1973 James decided to find greener pastures for his family, so he set his sights on the Pacific Northwest, settling on a small town in Southeast Portland, OR – the town of Milwaukie.

One of his first decisions was to continue his education. James had attended four different Community Colleges across the decade of the sixties, studying police work and supervisory management, but now he’d set his sights on becoming a Machinist. James earned his AA degree from Clackamas Community College in 1975 and was on the Dean’s List.

As he stood ready to embark on his new career path as a Machinist, Jim made a bold choice to “work for himself” and become an entrepreneur – so Hoyt Enterprises Inc. was born.

After arriving in Oregon he continued to indulge his passion for cars; every one of his “rides” received his own touches of customization: among his favorites were his lemon yellow ’76 Corvette, a red 1965 Chevy El Camino, two nifty late model British Jaguar Sedans that he repurposed with brand new GM-motors and drivetrains, and several high-performance “run around town” trucks that benefitted from his paint/engine/transmission/exhaust modifications.

Hoyt Enterprises Inc. started out as a Real Estate investment venture. This gave him an opportunity to utilize his many talents while buying and selling “fixer upper” homes around Portland, OR. He would do the demolition and remodel work himself, “flipping” some of his properties for quick profits, retaining others as rental units.

In 1977 he organized a wholesale supply business (“The Gear House”) that focused on servicing the regional hardware stores with everything from commercial fishing equipment to stainless steel fasteners. Later he spun off the fastener business into a garage-based operation; his niche was being able to fill small orders and deliver quicker shipping turnaround than larger suppliers.

Speaking of garages, Jim’s garage was not only his workplace but a “man cave” extraordinaire; he literally had every machine, tool, bolt, screw, nail or whatzit in that shop. One of his favorite sayings was “you gotta have the right tool for the right job” - and if he didn’t have the “right” one, he would surely make it.

Jim soon added other interests to his portfolio of hobbies; first it was photography, then jewelry making. James had a good eye for content and how developing the negative made all the difference in creating a final print. When he bought his first gem-cutter he learned how to facet stones; later he learned how to cast precious metal into mountings. Jim turned his “practice efforts” into beautiful rings, pendants and belt buckles that he would give as gifts to family and friends.

Boating was another hobby acquired after the move to Oregon. Jim bought a Chris-Craft and became an experienced navigator on the waters of the Columbia River. Eventually he would pilot his boat down river to the ocean ports of Ilwaco or Astoria; from here he made many weekend trips into the Pacific Ocean during Salmon fishing season.

After 15 years of small dog ownership Jim rediscovered his passion for training working dogs. He fell in love with the Rottweiler breed, and it wasn’t long before he added a “Rottie” puppy, Kodi, to his life. Then came Cassius, then Troika, then Drummer, and later, an Australian Shepard named “Boomer.”

Jim’s “circle of dog friends” grew large; he was proud of showing off his “black and tan protégés” at dog shows up and down the west coast, guiding them to win coveted championship designations in obedience trials and confirmation events. He also contributed his experience back to the Rottweiler community in the form of insightful internet posts and published essays.

Jim was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) soon after his retirement from police work in 1973; it is a disease commonly known for symptoms of night blindness and tunnel vision. He was an early participant in clinical trials that tested the potential of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) as a treatment for RP. When James was declared legally blind in 1999 it further energized his involvement within the local RP community. He participated in support groups (“Tall Dog,” as he was known to his RP chat friends) to mentor others learning to accept RP while promoting awareness and understanding of the disease to the public.

James first marriage ended in divorce in 2003 but it also marked the beginning of a brave new chapter in his life. He knew he would soon lose all of his vision so in 2005 he completed an intensive six-week training program that would allow him to live independently with complete blindness. He also began to travel extensively; he bravely visited countries throughout Europe, Asia and South America without an escort. It was during these travels that he met the woman that would later become his second wife.

On February 14, 2013, James and Liwayway (“Ana”) Buenaventura Mercado were married by a VA Chaplain in Portland, OR, with James’ sister, Ann, proudly standing by their sides. The couple resided in Gresham, OR until James’ death.

James is survived by his loving wife Liwayway (Ana) Buenaventura Hoyt; son James Christopher Hoyt and his wife Janis; daughter Lynne Marie Hoyt; daughter Dawn Elizabeth Hoyt; one sibling, Annetta Belle Plasker; Granddaughters Kathryn Taylor Hoyt and Courtney Alisa Hoyt; Grandsons Michael Christopher Olson and Jason Christopher Hoyt; step-grandsons Christopher Elliott Wondolowski, Stephen John Wondolowski and Matthew Senn Wondolowski.

Donations can be made in his name to Oregon Guide Dogs for the Blind.