Hoyte Wayne Ridlehuber passed away on August 17, 2021 after a courageous fight with glioblastoma. When diagnosed in December 2020, he said "I have had a great life and I know where I'm going." He is now at peace with his Savior.

Hoyte was born on October 15, 1946 in Hillsboro, Texas to the late Homer and Alice Ridlehuber. He graduated from Hillsboro High School, where he played football. Hoyte always loved football and was a life-long Texas Longhorns and Dallas Cowboys fan.

Following graduation from high school, Hoyte attended East Texas State University and had a brief stint in mortuary school before he found his true calling, the car business. He moved to Dallas and began working as a car salesman at Moore Chevrolet. Hoyte loved telling a story about how, early in his career, the brakes failed on a car and he ended up driving it through the showroom floor. After he stopped the car, he opened the door and a beer bottle fell out (not his) and he looked up to see "Old Man Moore," the owner of the dealership. Hoyte said "thank you for the opportunity" and walked out of the dealership. Despite this calamity, Mr. Moore understood the situation and he continued on at Moore before embarking on a very successful career as a salesman at Friendly Chevrolet. At age thirty one, he became the new car manager at Friendly, which at the time was one of the five largest dealerships in the country. In this role, he supervised forty sales people.

Hoyte also loved telling stories about his bachelor days in Dallas, when he drove a Corvette, had a boat and lived at the Village in Dallas. These days ended when he met Sherry Rhudy from Sherman; he proposed after six weeks of dating in the EDS parking lot where Sherry worked as a typist for Ross Perot. They were married in 1973, and had two daughters, Amy and Tiffany. Sherry passed away in 2002 after nearly thirty years of marriage, and Hoyte cared for her during a difficult battle with cancer.

In 1985, Hoyte had an opportunity to purchase a Honda dealership in Sherman and he and Sherry moved to Sherman from the Dallas area. Ultimately, he acquired a Nissan store and a Mitsubishi store, and his three stores were a landmark on Texoma Parkway for many years. He also owned Audi and Volkswagen dealerships. In 1996, he purchased a Dodge Dealership which he eventually moved to Highway 75 and Lamberth in 2000. He later added Chrysler and Jeep franchises, and his Sherman store became one of the most successful dealerships in Texas, highly regarded for service and having sales that exceeded those of dealerships in cities like Dallas. In recent years, he added dealerships in Whitesboro, Texas and Durant, Oklahoma. Anyone who ever encountered Hoyte at his stores knew he paced the floor with his trademark cigar and always knew the latest sales numbers. Describing his career in the car business as legendary is not an exaggeration. "Hoyte Says Sell 'Em" became a familiar saying and logo over his over fifty-year career as a car dealer. Over the years, he mentored many young people who went on to have successful careers in the car business.

In 2006, Hoyte married Deneice Burleson of Durant, Oklahoma. They shared a great love, and were married for fifteen years at his death.  Hoyte and Deneice enjoyed travel, building a beautiful home on Lake Texoma together and creating a blended family that included Amy, Tiffany and Deneice's daughter Stephanie. They had eight grandchildren together, and delighted in them and their activities. Their large family enjoyed many holidays at the lake. His grandson Caleb said he always remember his Papa/Poppy outside on the back porch cooking three pounds of bacon for everyone in the morning, all with cigar in mouth.

Hoyte's employees knew a hard-charging businessman, who would secretly extend a loan when necessary. His family and friends knew a man who loved Christmas (always decorating before Thanksgiving), interior design and cried easily. Hoyte loved to fish and work in the yard, and he enjoyed a good steak with a Crown and water. His legacy to his family includes his work ethic, courage and generosity.

Hoyte is survived by his loving wife Deneice; his daughter Amy Benson and her husband Bryce and their children Carter Hoyte, Caleb and Barrett; his daughter Tiffany Ingram and her husband Cory and their children Noah, Harper and Whitney; his daughter Stephanie Beaver and her husband Brandon and their children Jace and Landry. He is also survived by his sisters Betty Cheatham and Peggy Pharris and their families and brother-in-law Steve Wilson and wife Debbie.

Hoyte and Dr. Mike Benson shared grandchildren and a thirty year friendship. Dr. Benson was Hoyte's physician for many years, including his final months, and he said Deneice was one of the finest caretakers he had ever seen.

The memorial service will be at First Baptist Church of Durant (124 Evergreen Street; Durant, OK 74701) on Sunday, August 22 at 2:30 p.m., under the care of Waldo Funeral Home. The registry can be signed at www.waldofuneralhome.com. Tributes may be made to First Baptist Church of Durant or the American Cancer Society.