Wilda Irene Hoyt (McCallister) 1918 - 2009

July 1997

Wilda Irene McCallister was the first daughter of Frank and Bernice McCallister.  She was born March 3rd, 1918. She has a sister, Joyce, 12 years younger.  She was born at home in Tod township on Crawford county and Wyandot County line road in Ohio.  She was raised on a general farm.
Wilda had lessons on piano, violin, cello, and organ.  She played violin in high school orchestra and graduated from Eden High School  salutatorian.  She went to Business University (now Tiffin University) she played cello in college.  While at college she roomed with Augusta Jenner (b. dec 26, '17 - d. may 19, '10) and worked as a cook in the rooming house.
After the 11 month course she left home to live on 10th ave with Augusta in Columbus.  She worked for Ohio Church Council as a secretary in '38.  Later she went to Nationwide Insurance as a typist.  She moved home after she lost her job.  Soon after she got a Civil Service job at Ohio State as a secretary for Dr. Raymond Bennet in the College of education for 2 and a half years.   She roomed with Rudolf King and is wife on 16th Ave.  It was here on December 16, 1939 she met Wallace Hoyt Potts (who later changed his name to Wallace Potts Hoyt). One year later on December 16th they were married in the Olentangy Village Apartments in the apartment of mutual friend Eleanor Ludeman.  Trinity Episcopal Minister Anson Stokes performed the ceremony.  Their parents did not attend the wedding.  Her parents refused because they thought lowly of Wallace.  Wallace's sister and mother said they had nothing to wear.  They lived on 8th Ave. in Columbus, Ohio.
In 1940 while pregnant they moved into an apartment on Frames. Ave.  When Wallace got a job in Orwell, Wilda left her job at the university.  They lived in the old town hall by the school during the school years.  Summers they had to make alternate arrangements.   Feb 24, 1941 their first child, Sean, was born in the home here.
In 1942 they moved to Lakeside, Ohio while Wallace worked at Danbury High.  She had her second son, Willard, while here April 23, 1943.  Wallace left Danbury and they moved into grandfather's house (  I don't know which - possibly George Potts).
She moved to Toledo when Wallace was hospitalized and worked for Willys Jeep and lived in an appartment in Rossford.
In an attempt to help with the war effort they moved to Spokane, Washington.  Wallace's mom, Lydia,  came with them.  To find work they moved to Seattle.  They lived in  a boarding house until they could buy a house in the Lake City  development.  Wilda worked at Markey Machinery.  She had her third child Norreen Bernice,
They sold the house at Lake City and bought a house just outside Bellvue.  When Wallace went o the hospital for a "nervous breakdown," one of many times, they sold the home to pay for the bills.  They drove back to Ohio and stayed with her sister in law Elsa's family while Elsa was in the hospital.
When Wallace got a job in Loudoville, they found an apartment on U.S. 3 ner Shreve.  Later they moved to a duplex in Loudonville.  When the duplex owner's sold the home, Wilda's parents helped them buy a partially finished house.  She held a preschool in the basement from 2 years and in 1951 started a kindergarten.  In the summers she worked for recreations and crafts for girls.  She also took in ironings and cleaned house for people.  She was on Welfare and aid often during the years her husband was hospitalized.
She began working as a secretary in Loudonville High School part time and in 1953 went to full time. They stayed thereuntil Sean graduated from Loudonville in 1959.   When Wallace got a teaching job at Maume High School in 1959, Wilda took a secretary job there.  They lived in a garage apartment until they bought a house on Anderson in Maumee, Ohio.  In 1961 she has a hysterectomy because of a tumor.
In 1963 they sold the house on Anderson to build in a new development on Anderson.  They moved in spring.
In summer 1965 she went to New York when Wallace had a fellowsip in Oneanto, NY.
In 1976 Wilda and Wallace moved to Ashland, Ohio to a split home with her parents.  She retired in September 76.  Her parents moved to KY in 1977 and Wilda and Walace moved to a Duplex in Ashland.  Wallace died there.
In August 1980 almost a year after her husband died, Wilda moved to Middletown, Ohio near Noreen and her family.  From October '80 through June 83 she work as a house mother for the Delta Zeta sorority at OSU.  After 5 years there, she left to open the new Phi Mu sororuty at Indiana University.    After two years she left to be closer to Noreen's family again.  She worked as a house mother for TPA soroity at UC.  She retired for good june, 1992.
Wilda bought a house at 1928 Erie St.  in Middletown, Ohio.  She lived there in retirement until her death from cancer Saturday January 24, 2009.  She had visited every capital in the US.  She spent her retirement traveling with Noreen, serving at her church, Episcopal Church of Southern Ohio, and visiting with family.