Born 1917 in Maysville, Ga., to James Oscar and Daisy Shirley Voyles, he was predeceased by his parents; five brothers and one sister; his wife of 60 years, Katharine Camp Voyles; and his son, Steven Camp Voyles.
From his roots in Maysville, Mr. Voyles career spanned from Atlanta, Ga., in 1936 to New York City and retirement in 1977. As Mayor of Riverdale, in the initial 14 years of its chartered existence, Mr. Voyles, accomplished among other civic projects the installation of city streetlights, creation of a city water system, the Little League Baseball program and land acquisition for and construction of Clayton General Hospital. Mr. Voyles was also a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during WWII.
Promoted in 1968 to Senior Vice President of Operations for Continental Insurance, then the world's largest fire and casualty insurance company, Mr. Voyles, and his wife Katharine moved to Madison, N.J., from which he commuted daily to New York City. In his position, Mr. Voyles led a reorganization of Continental and was active in the New York City Chamber of Commerce.
On retirement in 1977, Mr. Voyles relocated for a short time to Marietta, before settling in Cocoa Beach, Fla., and becoming an area fixture through his daily surf fishing. Many locals and visitors to Cocoa's shores shared their coffee as Mr Voyles cast the surf for each season's variety of fish.
Mr Voyles is survived by his present wife, Martha Evans Voyles; sister, Louise and husband Tom Peace; daughters, Martha Jo Voyles Byrd and her husband Franklin Eli Byrd, Elizabeth Ann Voyles Eppes and her husband William W. Eppes, and son Donald Hoyt Voyles and wife Jacquelyn Ard Voyles; step-sons James Howard Voyles and Danny Edgar Voyles; and 12 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild. The memorial service for Hoyt Gibson Voyles will be held Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. at Evans Funeral Home in Jefferson; Rev. Tom Plank of Galilee Christian Church, will conduct the service. The family will receive visitors at Evans Funeral Home following the memorial. Contributions in memory of Mr. Voyles should be made to the Galilee Christian Church Building Fund, 2191 Galilee Church Road, Jefferson, GA 30549 or St. Mary's Hospice House, 1660 Jennings Mill Road, Bogart, GA 30622.
Hoyt, Daddy, Papa, Big Papa, or the big man was a larger than life American hero. All who knew him live a more enriched life as the result of his touch, his warmth, and his love.
Evans Funeral Home, Jefferson, GA. 706-367-5467.
Online Condolences at www.evansfuneralhomeinc.com.