Edna Mae (Bourquin) Hoyt loved life. She lived it fully from the time
she was born on April 27, 1936, in Auburn, Nebraska, to Ted and Odessa
Bourquin, to her last fighting breath at Swedish Medical Center in
Englewood, Colorado on October 12, 2022.
Edna grew up on a family farm north of Colby, along with a younger
sister Gwen and brother Dan, as a typical farm girl involved in 4-H,
farm and household chores. She graduated Colby High School in 1954,
attended Kansas State University and graduated from Fort Hays State
University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.
Edna loved to tell the story of how Leon proposed. He said, “might as
well get married” to which she responded, “might as well.” After the
three-day engagement, they were married on December 25, 1958, at 12:30
a.m. in Colby after the Christmas Eve program. They resided in
Hutchinson, Kansas where she finished her first year of teaching. In the
spring of 1959, Leon and Edna moved to the Hoyt farm 15 miles north of
Brewster where three sons were born, Craig (1959), Scott (1961), and
Keith (1962).
Edna always documented events that were happening, probably because they
were always so lively in the Hoyt household. After Craig and Scott
witnessed Keith almost born in the car, Edna described the boys’
childhood as “A can of whip cream on the floor, honey in the toaster,
and leaking pipes in the basement, courtesy of the boys, and the
question “WHY?” over and over.” Leon and Edna endured events of mother
nature a short time after, including a twister striking the Hoyt farm in
1962 and the blizzard of 1975.
Edna taught the sixth grade for three years in the Brewster school
system, from 1969 to 1972. She was a farm wife, farm hand, mom, grandma
and great-grandma. She always said, “we should write a book” due to the
constant “organized chaos”. When she wasn’t helping move farm equipment
and cattle, you could find her in the kitchen whipping up meals, many
times with the help of her grandchildren, that may have sometimes looked
interesting but were always surprisingly satisfying, including the
“Candy Cane Casserole.”
You could hear her whooping and hollering at sporting events for her
children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren. Leon and Edna were
always on the road, “Go, Grandma, Go!” we’d say.
Edna always went to bat for her family. It came as a shock to her to
learn just how ornery her boys might have been once they began telling
their stories as adults. She recognized all her grandchildren’s friends
as if they were her own, the go-to grandma for the whole team. When
something was needed, you could almost always find it in her purse.
Edna was preceded in death by her parents, her mother and father-in-law,
and infant sister. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Leon,
sons Craig (Billie) and Keith (Chris) of Brewster, Scott (Shelly) of
Eureka; grandchildren, Tabitha (Brenden) Ptacek, Amanda (Jordan) Reid,
Audrey (BJ) Stephens, Kasey (Brandon) Rome, Dan Dewey, Jacie (Daniel
Heflin) Hoyt, Corinna (Kellen) Adams, Terran (Braden Larcom) Hoyt; and
19 great-grandkids. She is also survived by her sister Gwen Beauchamp
and brother Dan (Shirley) Bourquin.
Memorial services will begin with visitation on Sunday, October16, 2022,
4-6:00pm at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby, with funeral services on Monday,
10:00am at the Brewster United Methodist Church, burial following at
Brewster Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Brewster United Methodist Church and Brewster Heritage Center and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com