Marva Hoard

Marva Yvonne Hoard, 91, of Missoula died of natural causes Monday, 1/22/2024 at The Springs Assisted Living Home.  Marva was born February 7, 1932, to Cecil T. and Florence M. Snyder in Hudson, WI.  Marva grew up in Minneapolis, MN and earned an Associate’s Degree in Education from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN.  Marva moved to Great Falls, MT in 1951 to become a kindergarten teacher at Longfellow Elementary School.  During that school year Marva met Albert William “Bill” Hoard and they married August 16, 1952.  For the next twenty years Marva raised 5 children, worked on the family cabin at Seeley Lake in the summer and spent the winters skiing at King’s Hill.  In addition, she acted as the CFO for the family business, Hoard’s Dental Lab.  In 1972, Marva became a realtor for the Cogswell Company, which was the start of a very long and successful career as both a realtor and broker.  It was during this time that in 1988, the Great Falls Chamber of Commerce honored her with the ATHENA award.  This award honors women who strive toward the highest levels of personal and professional accomplishment, who excel in their chosen field, devote time and energy to their community in a meaningful way, and forge paths of leadership for other women to follow. Marva won several awards during her career and was always sitting on a board of a local business.  Marva and Bill joined The Church of Incarnation shortly after their marriage and were lifelong members with Marva serving as Warden a couple of times, singing in the choir and being the backup organ player.  Marva and Bill had a strong knit group of friends that played bridge together, participated in The Fortnightly Social Club, hiked, skied and spent time at Seeley Lake and the Swan Valley.  In 2014 Marva moved to assisted living in Idaho Falls, ID and in 2022 she moved to the Memory Care unit of The Springs in Missoula.  Marva was preceded in death by her parents, Son Mark, husband Bill, brother John “Jack” Snyder and Great Granddaughter Ruby Quinn Oelschlaeger.    Survivors include children, Kerri (Bryan) Flaig of Missoula, MT, Scott (Cathy) Hoard of Idaho Falls, ID, Steven (Sheryl) Hoard of Azle, TX and Lori (Jim) Posey of Idaho Falls, ID; Daughter-in-law, Cindy Hoard of Whitefish, MT; brother, Gerald “Jerry” Snyder of Johnson Creek, WI and brother-in-law, Harold Hoard of Missoula, MT; 15 Grandchildren, 19 Great Grandchildren, which will become 20 in February 2024.