Betty Marie Hoyt

Betty Marie Hoyt Coxen passed away on April 6, 2009 after a 14 year battle with cancer which she fought with courage and an incredible, positive spirit. Betty was born in Pendleton, Oregon on June 26, 1927 to Burl and Edna Coxen. They lived in Heppner, Oregon, a place that Betty always described as a nice little town that would always be home to her. She attended Eastern Oregon College now Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. On August 20, 1946, Betty married the love of her life, Kenneth G. Hoyt. They moved to Portland to the small community of Vanport while Ken entered school. Their son, Stephen, was born in 1947. A year later, the Vanport flood swept through the town, and Betty often talked about what a terrible feeling it was to lose everything. Going through that experience helped to shape Betty's amazing generosity and kindness toward others who were in need. Betty and Ken rebuilt their life in Portland. In 1949, their daughter Chris was born, and in 1956 their son David rounded out the family. In 1958, the family moved to Independence where Betty and Ken owned and operated Independence Electric. They sold the business in 1963 and the next year, Betty started working at the career she loved at the Oregon College of Education now Western Oregon University in Monmouth. Betty was the Assistant Placement Director at the college student center. She worked there until her retirement in 1989, and always said how much she enjoyed working with the students and assisting them as they found their first teaching jobs. Many OCE graduates still talk about how friendly Betty was and how she would go above and beyond ordinary efforts to help them. Betty was chosen as the OCE "Employee of the Year" in 1987, an honor that meant a great deal to her. Betty loved to travel and she and Ken enjoyed many trips all over the world. Scrapbooks have been filled with pictures of trips to Australia where their daughter Chris was teaching, a 30-day tour of Europe, and many driving trips around the United States and Canada. Betty always joked that she was the world's worst map reader, which led them to explore some interesting and out-of-the-way places around the country. One of the great joys of Betty's life was that she was able to travel to Budapest in 2007 with her daughter Chris to visit grandson Ryan and meet her hew great-granddaughter, Brigitta. Betty loved gardening and belonged to the Monmouth Garden Club where she was president in 2007. She also was a member of Hobby Club, Emeritus Society, WOU Retirees' Association, and Christ's Church in Monmouth. In 1995, Betty was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She had over 80 chemotherapy sessions and through it all she continued to be an inspiration to all her friends and family. Her children believe her to be the strongest woman they have ever known, and the lessons she taught them will live on forever. Betty is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Ken; son Stephen and wife Carol Malibu, CA; daughter Chris and husband Robert Salem; son David and wife Tammy Vancouver, WA; grandsons Ryan Budapest, Hungary, Dylan Malibu; granddaughters Emma Malibu, Megan Vancouver and Megan's cousin Rachel, who was like a granddaughter to Betty; great-granddaughter Brigitta Budapest; brother Glenn Coxen and wife Maylis Port Hadlock, WA, and their children and families. Betty also leaves many wonderful friends who have meant so much to her over the years. Services for Betty will be held on Saturday, April 11 at 2:00 p.m. at Christ's Church, 412 Clay St. W. in Monmouth. Contributions in Betty's memory may be made to the Monmouth Public Library where Betty volunteered, or to the Ella Curran Food Bank.