At 100, Clayton’s first mayor still likes what he sees
CLAYTON, CA—Every morning around 11 o’clock, Bob Hoyer drives the short half mile from his house to the Clayton Post Office.
Three things are extraordinary about this. First, he drives a 1999 white Cadillac half the size of the QE II. Second, he pulls his mail out of Post Office Box #1. Third, Bob Hoyer will be 100 years old on Mar. 11, a fact that surprises even him.
“I just got my driver’s license renewed for five years,” he chuckled.
When Bob and Eldora Hoyer moved to their hillside acre above downtown, Clayton was mostly open land. Lot sizes and trees were big and horses were still a regular sight on Main Street. The population was less than 1000.
The post WWII boom was in full swing and next door Concord was looking to expand.
In a classic David and Goliath move in 1963, Concord announced its intention to annex Cardinet Oaks, the best part of Clayton.
Hoyers lead push for Cityhood
Not so fast said the Hoyers, who stepped up to lead the push for independence. On Mar. 18, 1964, the tiny rural town became a general law city and Bob Hoyer was rewarded with a seat on the first City Council and was the first mayor. He remained on the council until 1980.
On the eve of his 100th birthday, an introspective Hoyer looks back on the past 57 years and, overall, is pretty pleased with what he sees.
“It’s not that we were against growth,” Hoyer told the Pioneer. “We could see it coming and we just wanted to do it our way.”
“Our way” included requiring developers to dedicate land for open space along Clayton’s creeks to create an award-winning trail system.
After his retirement from the council, Hoyer went on to work on his dream for a downtown park. The Grove opening on Jan. 12, 2008, is on the short list of his proudest moments.
It’s difficult to believe that Hoyer will hit the 100-year mark next month.
He recalls dates, names, events and places with acuity impressive in someone half his age.
“People love to pick his brain on history,” says longtime friend JoAnn Caspar.
“If he can’t remember something, he’ll just say it’s in the black hole and if he could ever find the black hole, he’d find all kinds of stuff.’”
Quarantine has been hard on him. Since his wife died in 2011, he has relied on his friends for emotional sustenance.
He’s very social and adventuresome,” Caspar said. “He never missed a Wine Down Wednesday, even when we had to bring our own wine and meet in the museum garden.” And he plays bocce downtown.
Always has an opinion
Intellectually curious with a love of learning, he misses his friends.
“I love to argue with him,” Caspar said. “He’s very opinionated.”
“I was staying alive by socializing with just a few people, but now I’m not doing that,” Hoyer said. He fills time as best he can with a few gardening chores, jigsaw puzzles and reading detective stories. He occasionally signs up for an online Scholar Ollie course.
For Hoyer, humor is a life force. Laughter comes quickly and behind his crinkly eyes and puckish grin, one wonders if he sees something a little funnier than the rest of us.
As a parent, “his humor was motivating,” daughter Helen Falcone told the Pioneer.
“He led by example,” she said. “I suppose he was strict…but he was thoughtful and supportive, and I wanted to please him.”
Politically, Hoyer says he’s a moderate and, despite the recent controversy over high density housing, says Clayton needs more apartments and condos for those tired of climbing stairs and doing yard work.
He is optimistic about the future. “Things will be a little more liberal but better for everyone. I’m talking about 10 years down the road.”
When he will be 110.