Robert Andrew Hoyem

Robert Andrew Hoyem passed away from kidney failure at St. Patrick Hospital on Friday evening, March 27, 2015.

Robert was born to Florence and George Hoyem on Sept. 23, 1930, at the hospital in Lewistown. He spent his first years with his older brother George and younger brother Sylvan on his parents' ranch southwest of Lennep, in the north foothills of the Crazy Mountains. The family lived there until January 1942, when they sold the property to the Rankin family and purchased a dairy farm at Thompson Falls, where Robert and his brothers attended high school.

Early in his high school years, Robert suffered a burst appendix and was hospitalized for several weeks overcoming the resulting infection. When he returned to class, his music teacher put him to singing to strengthen his stomach muscles. This was successful.

When he entered the University of Montana at Missoula in the fall 1949, he continued his music studies, sang in the Jubileers, performed in operas and other stage productions under his voice teacher, professor John Lester, and graduated in 1953. From there, he went for advanced studies at the Manhattan School of Music in New York and from there took advantage of a Fulbright to Germany, where he continued his studies.

From those studies he found positions as a tenor with various operatic companies in Germany and ultimately moved into stage production. For the next years into the 1980s, he staged more than 40 productions. Failed kidneys interrupted his career and he went through three transplants into the early 1990s. He continued his career with voice teaching, but decided in 2003 to return to Montana, where he joined his brother George. In 2005, the University of Montana awarded him an honorary doctorate in music. He continued his voice teaching up to the last few days of his life.

He is survived by his son; Daniel of Vienna; and daughter, Jelena of Bordeaux, France.

A celebration of life will be held in late summer or fall and will be announced.
Read Robert Hoyem's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.