Mary Kateri Fitzgerald-Hoyt, Ph.D.

Delmar – Mary Kateri Fitzgerald-Hoyt, born June 19, 1955, in Albany, passed away on March 3, 2016. She was the daughter of the late John W. and Fredericka Tansey Fitzgerald. She attended Cathedral Academy, Cardinal McCloskey High School, Siena College, and received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Connecticut. Mary had been a professor of English at Siena College since 1984. Her research focus was Irish Literature and the influence of the Irish Potato Famine. She authored the book “William Trevor: Re-Imagining Ireland”, contributed chapters to several other books, and authored numerous articles on Irish literature. Mary's unwavering dedication illuminated her years of service to the Siena College English Department and to the broader Siena community. She was recognized for several teaching awards during her career, including the student senate Lecturer of the Year and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Mary’s teaching mission was the betterment of her students and their world: “I believe passionately that literature is essential to what it means to be human, and that literature can help to build more compassionate and just individuals and communities. I try to expose my students to writers diverse in culture, ethnicity, race, age, and gender and to see the common humanity that unites us”. Mary was predeceased in February 2015 by her loving husband, Donald Carter Hoyt. She is survived by her brother Bernard (JoAnne), stepchildren Carter Hoyt, Angela Hoyt Miele (Drew), and Patricia Hoyt, nieces Meaghan Fitzgerald See and Rebecca Fitzgerald, nephew Michael Fitzgerald, her Siena College and Nathaniel Blvd families, her cherished students, and her beloved dogs and cats. Mary had many passions in life, most notably animals, gardening, the Siena College English Department, her students, and anyone or anything she felt was in need of compassion and care. Mary’s family would like to thank the ER and ICU staffs of St. Peter’s Hospital for their skilled and compassionate care. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Mary’s family Sunday, March 6, 2016 4:00 to 7:00 pm in the McVeigh Funeral Home, 208 North Allen Street, Albany. Funeral services Monday, March 7, 2016 at 8:15 am from the McVeigh Funeral Home, Albany thence to St. Mary of the Angels Chapel, Siena College, Loudonville at 9:00 am where a Funeral Mass will be celebrated. The Rite of Interment will be held at St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands immediately following the Mass. To leave a message for the family, obtain directions, light a candle or view other helpful services please visit www.McveighFuneralHome.com Those wishing to remember Mary in a special way may send a contribution to the English Department of Siena College or the SEVA Foundation.

Tributes

Mary Kateri Fitzgerald-Hoyt, Ph.D.

June 19, 1955 - March 3, 2016