Friday, March 26, 2010

Jody Hoy

Jody Hoy - professor emeritus of Irvine Valley College, writer, photographer, activist, friend - died yesterday, March 25, 2010, at her home in Laguna Beach.




from The Power to Dream: Interviews with Women in the Creative Arts by Jody Hoy:

"There was a theme that was being played out on a daily basis in the lives of practically every woman I knew (not to mention my own): how can a woman satisfy the demands of the creative will and still preserve an intimate life? All the women I interviewed were driven in one direction or another by the fierce imperative of the creative will - whether to art, literature, psychology, or music. And all of them refused to sacrifice the private dimension of their lives: all were unwilling to give up the intimate and sexual rewards of a woman's life...These interviews document the joys and difficulties of being a productive human being in the shape of a woman."






More later.

(All photographs by Jody Hoy)

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jody Hoy was an instructor of mine and I just loved her. In fact, she was one of the best professors I had throughout my college experience. I learned so much from her. This is sad news.

Anonymous said...

I remember an interview she had with Julia Child in Santa Barbara near the end of Child's life that was well done, as Child could be prickly.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this.

Anonymous said...

That's a photo of the great author Tillie Olsen - Jody interviewed her.

Anonymous said...

Jody got that great donation for the Frogue recall - $40,000.

Anonymous said...

Jody was a stalwart during those very troubled times. Still was in some ways.

Anonymous said...

Great photos! What is it about IVC and great photographers? Anyway, nice to see you remember her when it seems the college has already forgotten. Shame. Any word on a memorial?

Roy Bauer said...

The college is a little late to the news, is all. I suspect we'll see something soon. My understanding is that the family is devastated and so no memorial service will occur any time soon.

Anonymous said...

Seems like they finally got around to it - but all they did was post what YOU posted...

Anonymous said...

Do you think Glen really wrote that himself?

Unknown said...

I had sent Jody an email yesterday, which didn't go through. When I went online a little while ago to see if I could find a better email address for her, I learned, with utter shock, that Jody died in March. Jody and I were junior- and senior high school classmates, and we stayed in touch until very recently. I've gone online to see if I could find out anything with respect to the circumstances of her death, but was unable to find anything. If anyone reading this post could provide me any information on Jody, I'd very much appreciate it. bambi323@sbcglobal.net

Anonymous said...

I loved Jody. She was my mentor and friend. My life is so much richer for knowing her and I hope that I contributed to hers as well. Je t'aime, Je t'aime Madame ... avec tout mon coeur.

-JAG

Unknown said...

Thank you, John (JAG), for writing about Jody. It's heartening to know that so many people loved her. I first met Jody in seventh grade, 62 years ago, and she sparkled even then. May her spirit light the way for us all. Alice Diane Kisch, bambi323@sbcglobal.net

Deanna Hoover said...

Saturday, after teaching yoga, at the Surf and Sand Resort and Spa, on the beach, I called Jody to see if she would like me to stop by. Her phone number was disconnected so I stopped by. Renters told me my friend had passed. What a shock. Spent the day grieving. Dug up an old picture of us at my 40th birthday party and lit a candle for her. She is now spirit. I cried for me - I never got to say good bye. The last time I saw her she had a new puppy. I didn't know that would be our last time together. I will miss her. We were friends 38 years. I met her at UCI. She introduced me to Anna McFarland at Saddleback. Thanks to Jody Anna hired me as assistant Director of their Women's Studies program. I babysat for Josh. I am sad no one contacted me to attend a memorial or funeral or whatever. I would have wanted to attend.

She is my 1st friend to die. It brings to mind how my time remaining is limited and reminds me to make the best of it.

Anonymous said...

Deanna,

I am glad you found our modest tribute to Jody. Nearly everyone I know was shocked at the news of her passing. I don't think the family held a public memorial or service. We here - her friends at the college - miss her still.

Lisa Alvarez

take care - Lisa Alvarez

Becca said...

Jody Hoy was my French professor at Irvine Valley College. I am so devastated to read of this. She believed in me. She took me with her to Paris and treated me, at times, like her own daughter. Her children must be at an utter lost, even now, 3 years later. I often drive by the college and am reminded of her guidance. I am proud to say I did master the language, finally, finalement. Toujour dans notre coeurs, Becca Williams

Rebel Girl said...

Becca, It's nice to read your fond remembrances of our colleague Jody. She was wonderful and you should know that her students - especially those she took abroad - made her very happy.

Anonymous said...

This morning I thought of Jody after quite a while and discovered she left us three years ago. This is a shock to me! I thought of her because I got up this morning and played Francis Cabrel's Respondez Moi. The first French song I had ever heard. And I heard it in her class. I am deeply saddened by the news about a woman who always gave her students so much. I was one of them and she changed my life. Merci Madame Hoy. One day I will see you again so you can hold my paw while I tell you what is new and good in my life. Safe travels Jody, et a bientot.

Rebel Girl said...

Thanks for your kind words about our colleague Jody. We miss her too. I am moved by the fact that through the years her students and friends have come across our remembrance of her and have stopped long enough to add their own. The tributes to Jody continue to grow which is a fine testimony to her legacy as a teacher.

Here's a link to the song you mention:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FYyw-zCMtw

Just beautiful.

Unknown said...

Professor Jody Hoy was a brilliantly beautiful woman of amazing strength. As my French teacher, she was the best and as my mentor, she is irreplaceable. Thank you for introducing me to an ever expanding world of intellectual and passionate pursuits. I will miss and lovingly remember you, Jody.

Jessica Esch said...

Sigh. I wish I knew her. I discovered her book The Power to Dream this year and it's a treasure trove. I'm forever grateful for that effort and the spirit that infused it.

Rebel Girl said...

Jessica,

You are getting to know her in the way she would have wanted you to at this point: on the page. You will find Jody there. Thanks for reaching out!

R Story said...

Jody was an amazing soul. I found this blog searching on line to find her birth date, which was late November.

I was lucky enough to meet Jody in 1982 when I was 17 and in my first semester at Saddleback Community College. She was one of my professors.

Reading this blog brings back so many wonderful memories and I have been thinking about her solid for the past two days and the many good times we had together.

I find it impossible to describe her using words. Those who spent time with her will know what I mean. For those who never met her watch the movie Paris Can Wait and you will catch a glimpse.

Jody taught me a lot in so many ways and I was lucky to spend quality time with her until she left us. Like many others I was able to spend a semester in Paris with her and Josh when I turned 21. A group of us went to dinner for my birthday and 3-1/2 hours later, after much laughter, dinner finished. Then Josh and I spent 3 hours walking across Paris to get home because the metro had closed.

Jody was deep. She was funny. She was intelligent, kind, mischievous, thoughtful, adventuress....

She had one of those really cool small houses in Laguna Beach that transcended you when you walked in. It was like going through a portal to a whole different, special and unique place.

She read my Tarot, we ate fresh figs under her fig tree in her little front yard, she talked about all the artwork in her living room that her daughter painted. In many ways she blew my mind, heart and soul wide open.

She enjoyed the small things like eating a whole fresh mango in hand with the juice dripping down our arms. On the other side in Paris she would make her signature dish of fresh pasta, creme fraiche and chantrelle mushrooms washed down with a simple wine.

In France I drove with her and Josh through the central and south regions and visited Montsegur, Perypertuse, Carcassone and other amazing places. We picnicked on the roadside sitting in a field using my second hand trench coat as a table cloth.

There is so much more. Thank you for having this blog and a place for us to share our memories and benefits of knowing Jody. May her light that is inside of us all continue to burn brightly and blossom as we move among in this life.
With gratitude. R Story




Rebel Girl said...

Thank you, R Story, for sharing your memories of Jody. As I read them, I could hear her throaty laughter and remember her smile. We were lucky to know her!

Here's another brief remembrance of her on the blog, written by my collegue Roy.

https://dissenttheblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/last-couple-of-days-ive-been.html

Take care.

R Story said...

Hi Reb,

Thanks for the note and the link. Yes we were lucky to know her. I feel lucky to have black and white photos she took of my family during different stages of life. Jody was gifted.

Take good care too,

Rob

Rebel Girl said...

Rob,

I was also fortunate to have Jody take photos of my family. We cherish them.

take care -

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...