COURTESY
BRENTWOOD — Leila “Lee” Hoyt, 92, of Hampton Falls, died peacefully at the Rockingham County Nursing Home in the late afternoon of Nov. 6, 2018, family at her side.
Lee was born in Clarion, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 31, 1926, the second of four daughters, to William Yeany and Myrtle (Burgess) Yeany. The family moved to Brentwood in 1940, where Lee attended high school. After graduating from the Robinson Female Seminary in Exeter, she then attended Wentworth Nursing School in Winthrop, Massachusetts. She worked as an LPN at Exeter Hospital until 1950.
On July 1, 1950, she married J. George Hoyt, and the couple made their home in Hampton Falls — the same home where they would raise their two sons, and remain together until George’s passing in 2013, and her move to the Ernest Barka Assisted Living Facility in Brentwood in 2016. Many will remember that at their home, Lee and George had blueberry bushes and would pick, sell and give away the berries when in season.
Lee was a terrific cook and baker. From the mid ’60s to mid ’80s, she ran a cake business from her home. Her beautifully decorated cakes were much sought after for all occasions, including her famous wedding cakes, which her husband George and two sons would dutifully and carefully transport to their special destinations. Just this year, a visitor at the facility saw her and remembered her fondly as the “cake lady” from so many years ago, which brought a happy smile to Lee’s face. In her later years, she settled for making weekly batches of delicious homemade blueberry muffins or cookies, which she kept in ample supply for visiting family and friends, and to share with neighbors, family and friends at Christmas.
When the boys were grown, and she retired from the cake business, she worked for several years at Polly’s Flower Store in Exeter. She also spent many years as a dedicated volunteer at the Rockingham County Nursing Home, retiring from this only within the last several years. She was honored to receive a special award in recognition and appreciation for her many years of dedicated volunteer service.
Lee was pre-deceased by her parents, sisters Betty Walker and Doris Davis, and her husband of 63 years, J. George Hoyt. Members of her surviving family include one sister, Joan Tuck and husband Gilbert of Brentwood; two sons, Peter Hoyt and partner Jennifer Gingras of Lee, and David Hoyt and wife Jodi of Newport; and two grandchildren, Richard Hoyt, San Diego, CA and Claire Hoyt, Manchester. She has several step grandchildren and great grandchildren, and many beloved nephews and nieces.
The family invites all to calling hours at the Brewitt Funeral Home, 9 Pleasant St., Epping on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 from 5-7 p.m.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018 at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will follow in the Brentwood Cemetery, Brentwood.
Memorial contributions in Lee’s name may be made to the Rockingham County Nursing Home Resident’s Fund, 117 North Rd., Brentwood, NH 03833.
For more information, please visit brewittfuneralhome.com.
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