William R. Hoyt was born in 1924 in the Sinking Springs community, Alleghany Co., VA, to the Rev. S. Browne and Mrs. Virginia Brown Hoyt. He attended public schools in Virginia and North Carolina, earned an AB (cum laude) from Davidson College, a M. Div. from Columbia Theological Seminary and a PhD. from Duke University.
A World War II veteran and ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (US, 1952-83; USA 1983-2023), he was pastor of the North Gadsden and Rainbow Drive Presbyterian churches, Gadsden, AL, 1952-1954, and Presbyterian minister to students, Duke University, 1954-57. In 1957, Hoyt joined the faculty of Berry College, Mt. Berry, GA, where he served as chair of the Religion and Philosophy Department from 1957-1986 and retired as Professor Emeritus of Religion in 1993. Throughout his career, he continued to be active in the life of the church.
He and his wife, Sara Lippard Hoyt, MD are the parents of Nancy Hoyt Duncan, Jane Leidlein, MD (Hugh) and Harriette Hoyt (Brian McCormack), and grandparents of Christopher Leidlein, MD (Michelle) and Katherine Leidlein (Lucian Avalon) and great grandparents of Lily, Philip, and Vivienne Leidlein. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother, the Rev. Samuel Browne Hoyt, Jr., sister-in-law Peggy Lambeth Hoyt, nephew Mark Houston Hoyt, his twin sister Virginia Carlisle Hoyt and his son-in-law the Rev. Dr. Tim Hoyt Duncan.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Child Development Center, First Presbyterian Church, 40 Church Street, Asheville, NC 28801 or the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, 3210 Michigan Avenue, Suite300, Kansas City, MO 64109, or the charity of one’s choice.