Mary Hyatt

Mary Hyatt

98, of Port Townsend, Wash.

Mary Boyle Hyatt, 98, passed away peacefully from natural causes on March 13, 2016, at San Juan Villa in Port Townsend, Wash., with her children at her side.

Mary was born on Oct. 25, 1917, in Libby, to Mildred Elizabeth (Rogers) Hamel and David Parry Boyle. Her grandparents, Bertha Adell and Charles Rogers, came to Montana in a covered wagon from Wisconsin and homesteaded at Rogers Lake between Libby and Kalispell. The youngest of seven children, she grew up in Libby, attended First Presbyterian Church of Libby with her family every Sunday, and sang in the girls’ choir. After spending one year of high school in Seattle, she returned to Libby to graduate from Libby High School and to care for her father who had become ill. She stayed and cared for him until he passed. She worked in her dad’s variety store, ran the dry goods department of the KM (Kootenai Mercantile) store, and toured the local nightspots as the singer with Andy Gomp’s band. 

Her lovely voice earned Mary a scholarship to Whitworth College majoring in voice performance. There she sang in the college choir, a mixed quartet, a sextet and was a soloist. She was also a soloist at Fourth Presbyterian (now Fourth Memorial) Church. It was during this time that she met her future husband, Ellis Hyatt. They were married in Spokane, Wash., in the home of her college voice teacher, Winifred Hopkins; on Dec. 23, 1942. Ellis had recently been drafted into the Army Air Corps. Mary was able to travel with him around the United States as he served in a finance department that stayed stateside and helped to close bases around the United States towards the end of World War II.

Upon returning to Spokane, Ellis returned to his banking career at Old National Bank (now US Bank). Mary held several jobs including working at Sybil’s Hat Shop, the lingerie department of The Crescent department store, the hosiery department of The Palace dress shop and a receptionist/assistant for Dr. Simon Seaburg and Dr. Irene Grieve. Ellis and Mary built their home on the South Hill of Spokane, Wash., and started their family.  

Mary was active at First Presbyterian Church of Spokane singing in the choir for many years, taught Sunday school, was in the women’s association, and taught in the Barton School for adult literacy. She also served as one of the first woman elders of that church. She was a Campfire leader, Boy Scout den mother and maintained an immaculate home and garden.   

Mary and Ellis built a second home together at Sandpiper Shores on Priest Lake, Idaho. They loved taking care of their cabin and small forest, boating, fishing, picking huckleberries and entertaining.

Ellis passed away in 2003. Mary moved to the west coast to be closer to her children. She lived in Port Angeles for six years where she joined the First Presbyterian Church of Port Angeles. For the last six years, she resided in Port Townsend at San Juan Villa. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and all her siblings. Her brothers and sisters were Della (Simon Kenneth) Beattie, Perry “Hap” (Birch) Boyle, Kenneth “Kenny” (Juanita) Boyle, Frank Byron “Bud” Boyle, Lois (Bernie) Langsdorf, and Nina (Henry “Hank”) Sleizer.

Mary is survived by her two children Richard “Rick” (Lori Cleaves) Hyatt of Seattle, and Martha (Dave) Hurd of Port Angeles; and four grandchildren: Heath and Rhys Hyatt and Ventsy and Svetlio Hurd.

Her family is grateful for her many loving care takers at San Juan Villa, Dr. Molly Parker, and Jefferson Healthcare Hospice.

A graveside gathering will take place Monday, April 4, at 2 p.m. at the Libby Cemetery in Libby. A celebration service is planned at First Presbyterian Church of Port Angeles on Friday, May 20, at 3 p.m. officiated by Pastor Ted Mattie.  Arrangements are being handled by funeral homes Drennan & Ford in Port Angeles and Schnackenberg & Nelson in Libby.

Donations may be made to Whitworth University Music Department, 300 West Hawthorne Road, Spokane, WA,  99251.