Emil Charles Hoyt, age 100, passed peacefully on Sunday February 9, 2025 after a short illness. Known as Emil to his church community and "Chuck" to his larger local community, Chuck was a loving, generous man with a warm smile and encouraging words for friends and strangers alike. In his spare time Emil was a voracious reader, dedicated member of his church, lifelong volunteer, and loving father and grandfather. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Born November 6, 1924 in Wheatland to Sophia and Vasile Hoyt, a WWI Army veteran, Chuck arrived via midwife in a house with dirt floors and an outhouse. Yet tragedy struck early; his father and infant sister both died from tuberculosis when he was only 4. Sofia took young Emil first to Paris and then to Eastern Europe to settle affairs with family. 90+ years later, Chuck could distinctly remember the long train trip to port, befriending sailors while crossing the Atlantic, and witnessing a war and influenza ravaged Europe.

The young widow Sophia fortunately spoke, read, and wrote several languages, and was also an accomplished cook, allowing her to support young Emil despite much of the country suffering through the Great Depression. He said that there was always food, everyone had a garden, and housewives bartered for what they lacked. Despite the Depression, Chuck fondly recalls a happy childhood. Chuck could be found playing "Souky" on a frozen Shenango River, swimming at "Bare Bottom Beach," and collecting scrap metal to buy penny candy. Chuck attended elementary school in Farrell and developed a love for learning and reading, a passion introduced by his 5th grade teacher Miss Zentz. Chuck graduated Salutatorian in 8th grade, and won a membership to Buhl Library.

In 9th grade, Chuck came down with Rheumatic Fever after falling through the ice while playing on the Shenango River. This event changed the course of his life. The doctor told him to study hard because he had damaged his heart and would not be able to do physical labor if he even lived to finish high school. While recovering, a neighbor loaned him a collection of Tom Swift books. These early science fiction novels inspired Chuck with possibilities for the future—and later to a career in electrical engineering. Throughout the rest of high school, Chuck was a diligent student, and lettered as a school projectionist. Outside of class, Chuck was an avid member of his church Boy Scout troop.

World War II broke out while Chuck was finishing high school. Knowing he would join the Navy when he turned 18, Chuck worked at Wheatland Sheet & Tube as a pipefitter after graduation until being called up. After basic training, the Navy sent Chuck to school all over America; he was shuttled first to Grove City for radio training, and then on to Chicago, Corpus Christi, and Stillwater, Oklahoma for aircraft radar and avionics specialization. Arriving in San Diego, he was trained for the invasion of Japan but enroute to Guam they received the news—the war was over. Invasion averted, Chuck used his newfound avionics skills to repair fighter aircraft from across the Pacific Theater until returning to the States.

With the war over and awaiting discharge, a Navy buddy of Chuck's suggested they both attend college and become electrical engineers—a suggestion Chuck readily seized. Chuck enrolled in the Milwaukee School of Engineering where he studied how to design large transformers for power stations. Since the school was brand new and lacked a student center, Chuck and his friends repurposed the cafeteria of the Blatz Brewery across the street for late night studying, food, and drinks.

After college Chuck married his childhood sweetheart, Vera Regule. They had met at Holy Cross Orthodox Church during a Nativity Play, as Joseph and Mary. The two were married for 49 years, living in Sharon and Hermitage, before Vera's passing in 1998. They had one son, Charles D. Hoyt born in 1953. Chuck shared his passions with Charles; the two took many Boy Scout trips camping and fishing in Canada, and Charles took to Chuck's love of reading instantly. The three Hoyts spent idyllic summers up at Lake Erie building memories, ranging from boating to home repair hijinks, that Chuck would talk about the rest of his life. Chuck also was a high-scoring bowler, winning competitions against his peers at work, and a high-handicapped golfer who merely loved the game.

Professionally, Chuck applied his electrical engineering skills from Milwaukee and the Navy during a 35-year career at Westinghouse—making good on the dreams catalyzed by his childhood love of science fiction. He started at Westinghouse working on the Navy's torpedoes, ensuring that if they were ever needed in a future conflict that Westinghouse would know how to build them. Later Chuck transferred to the Westinghouse Transformer Division, building energy generators that are still in service powering this region today. His love for engineering ran deep; his bookshelf was filled with amateur books on radios, and he was an early adopter of home cameras and home movies.

Although Vera passed in 1998, Chuck was thankfully able to find love again later in his life. Chuck remarried Louise Greleski in 2000, who unfortunately passed away two years later. Chuck later met Dorothy Reiser in 2006; like two peas in a pod, they were inseparable until Dorothy's passing in 2021.

Faith was the cornerstone of Emil's life. His family together with other immigrant Americans helped build Holy Cross Orthodox Church on Lee Ave in Farrell before moving the church to Maple Drive in Hermitage. He supported the church by fundraising, serving on church council, and helping make Holy Cross' famous pumpkin rolls. A fixture of Holy Cross for 100 of the church's 119 years, Chuck could always be found in the front right pews every Sunday—regardless of the weather—and was beloved by the congregation.

Chuck retired from Westinghouse in 1985. But retirement never slowed the spring in his step. Chuck volunteered at UPMC as a greeter, logging over 7,000 hours of volunteer service! Always a man with a schedule, he would frequently be the first on shift arriving at 7:30 AM—even at 100. An avid member of the senior community, Chuck could also be spotted at Hermitage Senior Center winning rounds of bingo. He had a big smile (and an even bigger appetite!), and made fast friends with peers and staff alike.

Asked what the secret to a long life was, Chuck would always respond "Good Clean Living" and "always have a destination" with a broad grin. He exercised daily, kept strong bonds with his community, was deeply devout, stayed up to date with the latest in technology, and never stopped smiling at how fortunate he was to have had a long, happy life. Chuck is survived by his son Charles, 71, and his wife Irene. They have two sons David and Max. He was loved widely and will be missed dearly.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made "In Memory of Emil C. Hoyt" to Holy Cross Orthodox Church, 950 Maple Dr., Hermitage, PA 16148.

Calling hours will be 4 to 7 p.m. Friday (02/14/2025) in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 East State St., Sharon; and 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral Saturday (02/15/2025) in Holy Cross Orthodox Church, 950 Maple Dr., Hermitage.

Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, in Holy Cross Orthodox Church, Hermitage.

Interment: Oakwood Cemetery, Hermitage.