Robert Vern Hoyt

Nov. 3, 1920 – July 26, 2006

Born in the small plains town of Hardin, Colorado on November 3, 1920, Robert V. Hoyt died from complications of heart disease on July 26, 2006.

In his youth, Bob spent summers in Poudre Park and winters in Ft. Collins, Colorado. An avid reader, his high school nickname was “Hermit.” Nonetheless, Bob was a prankster and rebel who loved motorcycles, automobiles and airplanes. A 1939 graduate of Fort Collins High School, he owned his first motorcycle at age 13 and raced hand built Ford Model T and Model A racecars throughout his high school years.

Working in and around Denver after high school, Bob lived with an Aunt in Golden until 1941, after which, along with his family, he moved to Gunnison on Colorado's western slope. Some of the best years of his life were lived there, maintaining phone lines and trail building for the U.S. Forest Service in Taylor Park, Colorado.

Heading for California when work ran short in Gunnison, Bob landed a job at North American Aviation and eventually worked up to lead man on the final assembly of B–52 bombers and P–51 Mustang fighters. He was married on March 5, 1944 and three months later, on June 14, 1944, he joined the U.S. Army, completing basic and coast artillery anti-aircraft training in Ft. Bliss, Texas.

A knee injury received during a training exercise caused Bob to miss being shipped overseas and, consequently, the Battle of the Bulge. Only one man in his unit returned. After recovering from his injury, Bob became a mechanic in the army motor pool and served as a fill–in drill instructor. In his spare time he earned extra income working on cars and racing for a local Indian motorcycle dealer.

After his May 6, 1946 discharge, Bob returned to Colorado, working in Greeley as a mechanic at various garages and as an outside salesman and driver for Garnsey and Wheeler Ford. His hobby was building and racing midget racecars around Colorado and neighboring western states.

In 1950, Bob opened Acme Auto Supply on N. College Avenue in Ft. Collins. Repairing cars, rebuilding wrecks and selling auto parts until 1957, he then sublet the facility to Gas–A–Mat for the production of coin–operated gas pumps and contracted his services full–time, welding engine mounts and landing gear for two local aircraft factories, Silvaire (Luscombe) and Forney Industries (Ercoupe).

Indulging his passion, Bob also rebuilt wrecked aircraft out of a small shop in the rear of the Acme facilities. Between 1960–1976, Acme Auto Supply was also a motorcycle dealership carrying Triumph, BSA, Yamaha, Indian/Matchless and Norton bikes. Bob then began converting the business into Acme Machine, Inc., the contract manufacturing machine shop it is today.

Preceded in death by his parents, John S. and Ruth F. Hoyt, Robert Vern Hoyt is survived by sons, John Hoyt of Ft. Collins, Kevin Hoyt of Colorado Springs, Daughter, Robin Foote of Waverly, Colorado; brother, Leonard Hoyt of Ft. Collins, sister, Betty Andrews of Nucla, Colorado, numerous nephews, nieces and grandchildren as well as his own special "Angel on Earth," Dora Berry.

Bob was dearly loved and shall be desperately missed by his family and friends.

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