William Henry Hoyt

William Hoyt

July 5, 1952 - July 7, 2026

William Henry (Bill) Hoyt passed peacefully to heaven at his home in Windsor, Colorado on

Tuesday, July 7th, surrounded by family. Bill was born on July 5th, 1952 to parents Nelson

Landon III and Barbara McAdams Hoyt in Evanston, Illinois. He spent his early life developing a

steadfast love of the water, spending many summers at the old family home on Lake Michigan

in Winnetka, IL. Bill attended New Trier High School, and loved playing baseball and especially

soccer there in his youth. For his undergraduate degree, Bill attended Middlebury in Vermont.

He chose Environmental Studies (Geology) as his major after learning that the journalism

program was full. He recalled this was “probably the best thing that happened to him”. During

college, Bill spent many summers as a camp counselor at a wilderness and canoeing camp in

Minnesota. Adventures at Camp Koochiching fueled many stories that Bill shared with his

children and later on, his grandchildren. “The Polar Bear story” (a true story of survival in the

wilderness) is the most requested story. Bill had a long and successful academic career,

obtaining both his master’s (SUNY Albany) and PhD (University of Delaware) in Marine

Geology, and going on to be a professor of Oceanography at the University of Northern

Colorado (UNC) for 38 years. He served as department chair and ultimately won the M. Lucile

Harrison award - the top faculty honor at UNC for lifetime achievement of outstanding teaching,

research, and service.

Bill’s professional career began with a heavy interest in marine geology and sedimentology

research. This keen interest began because his Middlebury senior research thesis on Lake

Champlain was used in a Supreme Court case. This is how he caught the “research bug.” He

chose professorship at UNC over other job offers because “living in Colorado is every

geologist’s dream.” He never regretted the choice. In 1990, continuing his research took him

and his young family to live in Sydney, Australia for six months so he could study the effect of

the rising sea level on coral reefs. As his professional interests grew, so did his interest in

mentoring and educating students. In 1998, his love of research, education, and the sea,

brought a second sabbatical leave to Woods Hole, MA to be the chief scientist aboard Sea

Education Association’s (SEA) sailing school vessel, Westward.

Bill’s love for science and education led him to play a foundational role in establishing and

shaping the Poudre Learning Center (PLC) in Greeley. Beginning with visioning sessions in the

mid-1990s, Bill was part of the original small group of educators, community leaders and

naturalists who envisioned a nearby nature space for students. Bill helped turn a vision of

environmental education into a 198 acre premier outdoor classroom. His key contributions to the

center and its foundation included: co-founder and visionary, Poudre River Trail Education

Committee and board member, PLC board of directors, student research sponsor and

environmental mentor. Bill has used the facility to bridge higher education with community

programs. Students, teachers and young scientists will benefit from his involvement for decades

to come.

It’s true that Bill had an amazing career and impacted many, many students during his time at

UNC - and in recounting his own life, this is one of the things he would focus on. However, his

family and friends will remember him for his outstanding character and deep love for those close

to him. Bill always had an amazing sense of adventure, leading numerous family trips and

explorations all over the world. He always found a way to provide education to his three kids on

the local geological features wherever they traveled. His energy on these adventures was

boundless. Bill and his wife, Cathy, were like two peas in a pod, and enjoyed so, so many

adventures together while raising their kids, and in retirement as well. Bill and Cathy enjoyed

backpacking, hiking, skiing, SCUBA diving, sailing and bicycling. Bill was an admired and

adored uncle to many nieces and nephews, and it was often in his relationships with young

people that you could see how special Bill was. He was always up to play and laugh; investing

deeply in children and making them feel seen and loved. Though Bill loved to share tales of his

many adventures, he was quick to listen and deeply cared for those in his life. Bill was truly the

embodiment of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and often used clothing and various outdoor gear far

past when his loving family had purchased a replacement. He was content with his life and

what he had. Bill’s character is perhaps best encapsulated in his favorite scripture from Micah

6:8, “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act

justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Those who lovingly remember Bill are his wife and partner of 41 years, Cathy; his three grown

children and their families; Sarah Lazear and daughter Fiona; Aaron Hoyt (Nina) and their

children, Parker, Declan and Charlotte; and Anna (Tyler) Cloud and son Leo. Also mourning his

loss are his siblings, Nelson Landon Hoyt IV (Debbie), Carolyn Westfall (Don), Steve Hoyt

(Suzie), and Phelps Hoyt (Allison); along with siblings by marriage, Cheryl Kaufman (Gene),

Dick Smith (Diana), and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by

his parents, Cathy’s parents, brother-in-law, David Smith and son-in-law Danny Lazear. The

family will host a celebration of Bill’s life on Saturday, September 5th at 11 am at Cornerstone

Community Church in Greeley (1321 9th Ave.). A reception at the church will follow the service.

On Sunday, September 6th from 11 am to 1 pm, friends and family will gather at the Poudre

Learning Center (8313 W. F st., Greeley) for an open house to remember Bill for his deep

commitment to science and education and to share stories.

If you would like to make a donation to honor Bill, please consider donating to the Poudre

Learning Center, Habitat for Humanity or A Woman’s Place. These are all charities that were

close to his heart.