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In Memory

Thomas Edward Hoyer - Class Of 1938 VIEW PROFILE

Thomas Edward Hoyer

        

Thomas Edward Hoyer

Dec. 19, 1919 - July 31, 2010

MISHAWAKA Thomas Edward Hoyer Sr., 90, passed away peacefully on July 31, 2010, with family by his side.

He was born to Raymond A. and Mary Kohin Hoyer on December 19, 1919, in LaSalle, Illinois. The family moved to Mishawaka in 1924 when Raymond Hoyer joined the faculty of the University of Notre Dame. They moved to 1001 E. Corby Street in South Bend in 1926.

Tom Hoyer formed a lifelong attachment to Notre Dame, watching Knute Rockne's stadium go up in an empty field on the north side of Angela Blvd. He attended St. Joseph's grade school and then Central High School. At Central he was an outstanding athlete, earning his varsity letter four straight years in both swimming and football. He swam on two of Coach John Wilmore's State Champion teams (1935 & 1938). In his senior year, he was elected captain of the swimming team and was conference champion in the 40 freestyle and anchorman on the 1st place 180-yd. Medley Relay. On the football team he was the primary ball carrier for the legendary Bob Jones- coached offense and also starred on defense. In 1937 he was named 1st team full back on the very first South Bend All City Team

After graduating from Central in 1938, he entered the University of Notre Dame, where he majored in Physical Education and was on the swimming and gymnastics teams. He graduated in 1942 with a physical education degree and was drafted into the Army Air Force. He served in Lakeland, Florida, and England between May 22, 1943, and Feb. 6, 1946, mustering out as a 1st lieutenant. He remained active in the Air Force Reserves in which he served as liaison officer to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs for the South Bend areas. He referred many outstanding students to the Academy over the years and retired in 1984 at the rank of Reserve Lt. Colonel.

On September 8, 1945, at the SFAAF base in Sioux Falls, SD, Tom married Jeanne Audrey Crockett of Roseland. During over 60 years of marriage, Tom and Jeanne had seven children, six of whom survived and were raised in South Bend.

After the war the couple returned to South Bend where Tom worked briefly for Studebaker. In the fall of 1947 he began his long teaching and coaching career by accepting a job at Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills just outside of Cleveland, Ohio.

In 1949 Central High School appointed Tom Hoyer head swimming coach. He coached for 10 seasons as varsity swimming coach and as a junior high assistant in football and baseball. His 1955 swim team won the state championship, the school's first since 1939 when Hoyer, as a sprint star, helped the Bears capture the championship. During his tenure, he produced 11 individual state champions. Three other Hoyer-coached teams finished second in the State Championship meet but none ever placed lower than 5th. His Bears also captured three Northern Indiana Conference championships and six city titles before his coaching retirement in 1959. In recognition of his contribution as a coach, he received the Wegner Award in 1983. In April 2007 he was inducted into the Indiana High School Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame.

In addition to coaching, Tom was a lifelong teacher. He taught Social Studies and American History at Central (1949-1965), Jackson (1965-1975), and Riley (1975-1984). He was Chairman of the Social Studies Department at both Jackson and Riley. During his long teaching career, he completed graduate work at Western Reserve, Indiana University, Purdue University and Notre Dame. Many of his former students will remember with great pleasure their Basic Events in U.S. History and the American Presidents, which were fixed in their minds using HAM, the Hoyer Association Method. He retired from the Riley High School faculty in 1984

In retirement, he re-established his close relationship with Notre Dame, swimming every weekday at the Rockne Memorial and walking the Notre Dame campus. Avidly following Notre Dame football was one of his greatest pleasures.

In 2005 he moved with his wife from his longtime home at 815 Patterson Drive to live at Tanglewood Trace in Mishawaka. He moved to Fountainview in 2007.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne C. Hoyer; his brother, Robert Hoyer (Gloria); and his children, Thomas E. Hoyer Jr. (Maureen), Timothy P. Hoyer (Toni Folger), Judith Berg (Tom), Janet S Hoyer (Kim Orfanos), Jeanne M. Hoyer and JohnPaul Hoyer (Marlow). He is also survived by grandchildren, Christopher Moon (Berg) and Zoe' Orfanos.

Visitation will be held at Little Flower Church on Tuesday afternoon, August 3rd, from 4 to 6 p.m. On Wednesday morning, August 4th, there will be an a hour of visitation at Little Flower Church at 9 a.m.. followed by a memorial Mass at 10 a.m.

Memorials for Thomas may be made to Catholic Charities.

To send condolences, please visit www.mcgannhay.com.

 

02/07/2022 DEC

South Bend Tribune



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