It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Bill and Nancy Hoy. It was rare for anyone to see the two separate from each other, so although we are sad, we are grateful that they get to be together.
William Albertis Hoy (June 19, 1944- April 1, 2025) was the only child of Elden R Hoy and Betty Belle Hoy (Lester). Bill was a graduate of Weed Elementary School, Weed High School, and College of the Siskiyous. He then furthered his education at University of California, Davis. After meeting in early childhood and two years of dating, Bill married Nancy at Grace Presbyterian Church in Weed on July 26, 1964.
Nancy Lee Hoy (Prouty) (August 10, 1946- April 4, 2025) was the oldest of Jean and Buddy H. Johnson’s two daughters. Nancy graduated from Dunsmuir High School in 1964, and married Bill the summer after her graduation when she was two weeks shy of 18 and he was 20.
Bill and Nancy then moved to Davis, where Bill studied entomology and Nancy worked at Dryden’s Hardware Store. They welcomed their son, Eric, in December of 1966, and their daughter, Debbi, in May of 1969. They returned to Weed, where Bill continued the family tradition of raising prize-winning registered hereford bulls at Hoy Hereford Ranch.
Bill was proud of his agricultural heritage, and he worked at both the local and state levels to preserve that lifestyle. He was a member of the Farm Bureau Board of Directors at both the county and state levels. He was a longtime member and past president of the Siskiyou Cattlemen’s Association, and he served as a delegate to the Statewide Convention of Cattlemen. Nancy was a member of the Siskiyou County Cowbelles, helping and supporting Bill in his agricultural organizations.
Bill and Nancy both cared about serving their community and were active in clubs and organizations in Weed. He coached his son and many other young athletes in little league baseball and softball, and he loved working the ten-yard chain at Weed High School football games. He belonged to the Sons of Italy, Weed Chamber of Commerce, Elks Lodge, and the Weed Host Lions Club. He served as the Lions Club president, zone chairman, and deputy district governor, and was the Weed Chamber of Commerce’s 2006 Citizen of the Year. Bill’s mother once said that of all the things he did, she was proudest of him for spearheading the installation of Weed Cemetery’s sprinkler system.
Nancy stayed home on the ranch while her children were young. She could always be counted on to chaperone field trips, be the class mom, and help out whenever there was a need. As their children grew, Nancy began working in town- lastly, as the office manager for a local doctor. She was also very active in the community and belonged to the Beta Sigma Phi sorority for many years, served as a member of the Rotary Club, and was president of Weed High School’s sports booster club, Cougar Power.
One of the things Bill was proudest of was being a member of the Masonic Lodge for more than 50 years. He was the first member of the Mt. Shasta Lodge to win the Hiram Award. He was also a member of the Scottish Rites and Shriners International, and he helped multiple Siskiyou County children get treatment at Shriners Children’s Hospital.
In the mid-1980s, Bill made the decision to enter local politics. He was elected as a member of the Siskiyou Union High School District Board of Trustees, and then ran for the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors and was elected to three terms (12 years) before retiring at the end of his third term. While on the Board of Supervisors, he was appointed by Governor Gray Davis to the North Coast Water Board where he served as chairman for two years. After retiring from politics, Bill continued working on the family ranch with his son and grandsons. He loved going deep sea fishing and traveling the world with Nancy.
Bill and Nancy traveled all around the United States to places like Hawaii, Washington D.C., Yellowstone National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and many other places. They also liked to travel internationally and spent time in Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and the Caribbean islands. Nancy especially enjoyed visiting Drummond Castle in Scotland, as her heritage has been traced back to the Drummond clan.
Bill and Nancy’s legacy lives on through the love and unwavering devotion they shared with their family. Nana and Grandpa Bill (as their grandchildren and great grandchildren called them) supported Eric in raising his sons and Debbi in raising her daughters. Bill and Nancy took their four grandchildren on trips. Bill coached and rooted them on in sports and loved to go hunting with the boys. Nancy took care of their grandkids after school, helped them with homework, and loved to collect peacock feathers around the ranch with them. They also took care of their great grandchildren.
Bill and Nancy will be terribly missed by all who knew and loved them, including Nancy’s mother Jean, their children Eric and Debbi, four grandchildren Aaron, Christabelle, Brian, and Brigette, and five great grandchildren Elden, Seagan, Rusty, Elizabeth, and D.B.
Services will be held at Grace Presbyterian Church in Weed on Saturday, April 12 at 11 am.
Girdner Funeral Chapel is assisting the family and online condolences can be made at www.girdnerfuneralchapel.com
sourced: Girdner Funeral Chapel
