Effie Hoyt

Effie Kathryn Perry "Kathy" Hoyt, age 85, passed away on Tue June 6, 2017 in Madison, WI. She was born Oct 2, 1931 in Bradenton, FL, daughter of the late Truman and Wilma (Thompkins) Perry. Kathy is a graduate of Wesleyan College, and also earned her Master's Degree from Vanderbilt University. She married William Hoyt on Dec 27, 1957 in Bradenton, Fl.
Kathy was a devoted mother and professional audiologist. Her true passion was music, and she passed this on to her three children and to all who knew her. She volunteered for years at the Public Library in Highland Park, NJ, where she started a classical music record collection that grew to be a treasure and resource for the community. Before her marriage she sang in the chorus of the Chicago Lyric Opera, and for 45 years she sang with a variety of community and professional choirs, including a longstanding engagement as chorister and soloist with the choir at Crescent Avenue Church in Plainfield, NJ. She was beloved as a hostess of musical evenings ("soirees") in her home in Highland Park, where friends came to share food wine and good music late into the night. Her home was filled with beautiful antique furniture, the fruits of her many expeditions with husband Bill to area "junk" shops, much of which she restored or refurbished by hand. In her later years she turned her attention to miniatures, building period replicas to scale to equip six elaborate dollhouses still on exhibit in the basement of her Madison relatives. She loved her family and large circle of musical and social acquaintances, and was at her best in joyful social gatherings.
Kathy is survived by her husband of 59 years William Hoyt, 3 children Bill (Marika) Hoyt of Madison WI, Tim (Lisa Wright) Hoyt of Wakefield RI, and Melinda (Harald) Paulsen of Ebersheim, Germany; grandchildren Mara and Mina Hoyt, Liam, Ben and Jon Wright-Hoyt. She is further survived by nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, brother Doyle (Marian) Perry, and sister Trudy (Jim) Bailey.
Those wishing to express their sympathy with a memorial may wish to consider a donation (in lieu of flowers) to Madison Music Makers ( http://madisonmusicmakers.org/ ).
A memorial service will be at 3:00-5:00pm on Tuesday June 13, 2017 at CAPITAL LAKES TERRACES, 345 W. Main St. Madison.