The family and friends of R.W. Hoyer of Winchester, Virginia note with sadness the passing of this interesting scholar, educator, father, and friend. He died on Tuesday, February, 27, 2018 in Rochester Hills, MI, after a suffering a heart attack.
Mr. Hoyer was an inspired educator and writer who excelled in both traditional classroom and corporate training venues. In addition to other appointments, he had faculty positions at Virginia Tech (Mathematics), Princeton (Statistics), Yale (Political Science), the University of Michigan (Statistics and Management Science), and Duke (Political Science and Social Methodology). He was Visiting Professor for many years at the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan, and he was Director of that program for several years. For twelve years he was President of Decision Dynamics Incorporated of Ann Arbor, and in that capacity delivered quality improvement initiatives to the American automobile industry. He was a teacher and mentor to thousands of automobile company engineers and managers.
Born in Eastern Pennsylvania, he grew up in Western North Carolina, received a B.A. in Philosophy and Mathematics from King College (Tennessee), an M.S. in Mathematics from the University of Oklahoma, and a Ph.D. in Mathematical Statistics from Virginia Tech. For many years he taught in high schools and colleges in Western North Carolina, Southwest Virginia, and West Virginia. He had an undying love for the Southern Appalachians and spent a great deal of time hiking its trails.
Throughout his life he greatly valued time spent reading, writing, playing tennis, day-hiking, house remodeling, landscaping, and gardening. He spent the majority of his final years occupied with these activities as well as spending time with his family.
He is survived by his loving sons, Brooke and Reed Hoyer, his daughter-in-law, Jennifer Stephens-Hoyer, his grand children, Fin, Frost, Molly, and Maxwell Hoyer, his brother-in-law Robert W. Zerfoss, and a great many important friends.
There will be no ceremony either lamenting or celebrating Mr. Hoyer’s death. If you are inclined to do something in recognition of his passing pick up an intriguing book and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and spend the weekend reading and thinking good thoughts about your family.
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