MARGARET G. HOYT

HOULTON – Margaret Hoyt went home to heaven March 21, 2006, after a long illness. She was born April 30, 1922, in Hartland, N.B., the daughter of Clyde and Mary (Long) Rideout. Margaret graduated from normal school in Fredericton, N.B., in 1941 and taught in area rural schools. Being brought up in a Christian home and in the Hartland Baptist Church, she felt led to serve the Lord in missionary work. Preparation for this was at Toronto Bible College where she graduated in 1946. Missionary service began that year when she went to India under the Canadian Baptist Foreign Mission Board. After three years of service there, she was forced to return home for health reasons. In June 1951, she married Rev. Burton Hoyt, who at the time was serving as a pastor in rural churches in New Brunswick. During the 50 years of their marriage, they served together at churches in East Florenceville and Bristol, N.B., Easton, Cherryfield, Littleton, and Fort Fairfield, until their retirement in 1985. During their early years in Maine, Margaret worked toward her bachelor’s degree in education, which she received in 1972 from the University of Maine. She served as a substitute teacher in various schools throughout Maine and then taught full-time in Houlton and Monticello for 12 years. Margaret was the perfect pastor’s wife who loved to cook and entertain her church friends and family. For years she organized vacation Bible schools, taught Sunday school and supported her husband’s ministry every way possible. She loved to play the piano, organ and harmonica. Margaret had a heart for missions and was active through the years in local and state level Baptist mission support work. She was an active member of the Military Street Baptist Church until her health forced her to limit activities. Margaret was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Rev. Burton Hoyt in 2002. She is survived by her son, Paul and his wife, Jill, of Hampden; two sisters, Doris DeGrass of Brantford, Ontario, and Elizabeth Rideout and her husband, David Palmer, of Hamilton, Ontario; and a brother, David Rideout of Barrie, Ontario; three grandchildren, Nicole Conner and her husband, David, of Cape Elizabeth, Ben Quint and his wife, Sherri, of Houlton, Jennifer Huerth of Hampden; three great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. The family offers thanks and appreciation to the staff of the Gardiner Healthcare Facility in Houlton where Margaret resided the last four years of her life. The loving care she received there will never be forgotten. Friends may call noon Thursday until time of services 1 p.m. at the Houlton Military Street Baptist Church, with the Rev. Randall Burns officiating. Interment will be in the Littleton cemetery. At the family’s request, gifts may be made in Margaret’s memory to the Military Street Baptist Church building fund or the church or charity of one’s choice, care of Dunn Funeral Home, P.O. Box 127, Houlton, ME 04730.