Mrs. Mabel V. Hoyte
May 19, 1928 – December 21, 2021
Mabel opened her eyes on May 19, 1928. She was born on the Spice Isle of Grenada to Frederica Marcelle. At an early age, she and her mother, moved to Trinidad where she spent most of her childhood. Mabel was an industrious child who enjoyed reading, and you could usually find her with her head in a book.
Mabel completed the RN program at Port-of Spain General Hospital in 1948 and completed the midwife program in the next year. She worked as a nurse and a midwife at Port-of Spain General Hospital. One of her patients there would become the love of her life.
Roy Hoyte, ministerial student at Caribbean Training College, had been in a serious accident and had been brought to Port-of Spain General Hospital for treatment, where he met Mabel. They were married on December 4, 1951, and became partners in ministry from that day.
Roy’s first assignment took them to Antigua. While on this assignment, Mabel, who was in Trinidad at the time, gave birth to their first child, Judith on April 17, 1953. The opportunity came in the summer of 1954 for Mabel to travel to the United States. On August 26, 1954, a very pregnant Mabel arrived in New York and gave birth to their second child, Ronald. It was two years before Roy could join them and during that time, she cared for her two young children while working to make his arrival possible. Her hard work allowed Roy to complete his bachelor’s degree.
Mabel went on to work as a public health nurse in St. Croix, a nursing instructor and assistant matron at Community Hospital in Trinidad, an ER nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital, in New Haven, CT, a nurse at Downstate Medical in Brooklyn, NY, and Nursing Director of the Seventh-day Adventist nursing home in Barbados. She also worked for the Adventist Relief Agency while living in Barbados. Mabel retired
from an agency in Queens, NY where she worked as a supervisor of home health care.
In 1969 Mabel started working on her bachelor’s degree at Andrews University, and because of their many pastoral assignments, she would continue her college matriculation at Hunter College. She later completed her studies at Atlantic Union College. She went on to complete a Master of Public Health degree at Loma Linda University.
Mabel was dutifully committed to her husband’s ministry and actively participated in each assignment. Their home was always a welcoming and hospitable space for all, especially for young people and for many from the Caribbean diaspora who were transitioning to life in the United States. She was affectionately known as “Aunty Mabel” to those who loved her, but there was room in her heart for everyone. She and her husband moved to Huntsville in 2002 and she quickly became an integral part of the community.
Mabel was preceded in death by her husband, Roy; daughter, Judith; mother, Frederica and sister, Dolly. She leaves to mourn her loss, her sister, Ruth; son, Ronald (Beverley); grandsons, Phillippe (Genise), Lucien (Margaret), Randall (Maria) and Brent; granddaughter, Chantal; twin great-grandsons, Derek and Carter; and great-granddaughter, Bailee; niece Ira; nephews, Anthony (Anna), Arnold and Neil. Close family friends, Edna and the Faulkner family; other relatives, friends and extended church family.
Funeral service will be 12:00 NOON, Thursday, December 30, 2021 at the Oakwood Seventh-Day Adventist Church (5500 Adventist Boulevard Huntsville, AL 35806) with Pastor Paul Goodridge officiating. Interment will be in Oakwood Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Hoyte will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral time.
Public viewing will be held from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 29, 2021 and 8:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., Thursday, December 30, 2021 at the Royal Funeral Home.
