A father's intuition during a decade of change prepares his daughter to inherit a real estate dynasty

Mary Hoy

The Hoy's out on the town

Hoy, Hannah, and granddaughters

Jon, Zach, Sam, Andrew and grandson

Hoy at dinner with girlfriends

The sixties was a decade of change. The country was encountering the Civil Rights Movement, anti-war protests, 'free love,' and an influx of women in the workforce.  Due to the change, an economic ‘boom’ was shaping up. Demands for labor increased and so did women in the workplace. Joe C. Marshall, a savvy businessman in the 60’s, took note of the paradigm shift and put his middle school daughter, Mary Marshall Hoy to work during summer vacations.  

“The summer my dad told me I had to work, I asked why?” said Hoy. After all, her friends were heading to the lake, playing tennis, doing all the fun stuff kids do when they’re not in school. He explained that women were working now and having careers. He had the foresight and confidence in his daughter that she could do anything a man could do. 

Hoy was raised in Paducah, attended city schools, and was proud of her ‘long, blue line’ (Go Big Blue). While at Paducah Tilghman High School, Hoy was in the PTHS choir, Spanish club, and was one of five Valedictorians from her 1973 graduating class. This honor was shared with Rick Straub, Rick Lefebvre, Janet Dodson, and Rob Rhodes.

Hoy and John met their Junior year of high school. In fact, Jon introduced himself to the smart girl with the pretty face during a casual conversation over needlepoint.  "We met in English class. Jon said he liked my long hair and my wooden purse with the needlepoint stitching. It had a 'cool' saying on it that I stitched myself." said Hoy. Interestingly, the two were in concert choir together too but had no idea the other took the class. "Back in the day, the number of choir students was very large." she said. 

After graduating in 1973, Hoy attended Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. Centre was a top-50 liberal arts college founded by Presbyterian leaders. Hoy graduated with a Bachelor of Science in economics and management and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. Shortly after graduating, she went to work for a company in Lexington that managed small businesses. 

During the fall of 1976, Hoy and Jon got engaged. After a couple of months, they married on New Year's Day. Celebrating big events on the first day of the year was a tradition in the Hoy and Marshall families. Jon’s mom, Shirley was a New Year’s baby and Hoy’s parents, Joe and Eleanor were also married on January 1st. 

The wedding was held at The Presbyterian Church in Paducah. Hoy said, “It was a typical church wedding.” However, the church itself, was far from typical. 

The First Presbyterian Church that stands today is the third structural building since its inception and has quite a history. It was founded in 1842 after the Paducah city streets were laid out by William Clark, the brother of George Rogers Clark. George Rogers Clark became the highest-ranking American patriot military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. The first church was erected in 1848 and located on Third Street near Kentucky Ave. The second church was completed in 1888 and is the present site at Seventh and Jefferson. The second structure was destroyed by fire so a third was built as it stands today.  

The rehearsal dinner was the first event for the Ninth Street House in Paducah. “My in-laws and the Grace’s were dear friends. Curtis and Norma worked it out.” said Hoy. If you're from Paducah or anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line, most that loved delicious, artfully sculpted food, knew the name Curtis Grace. He opened the restaurant in an old Victorian-style home located in downtown Paducah in the 70’s. It was fine dining at it’s best. Hoy said the event was ‘magical and delicious.’ 

The couple moved to Hollywood after the wedding for Jon to earn a degree in audio engineering. While Jon was in school, Hoy worked for California Federal. “At the time, it (California Federal) was the largest federally chartered S & L in the nation.” she said. Hoy worked for the head of the escrow department. “In the day, we made and processed loans and  sold them on the secondary market too.” 

After living in Los Angeles for a couple of years, the couple moved back home to be with family. In 1979, Hoy got licensed to sell real estate and joined her father’s company, Joe C. Marshall Realty, a.k.a. Marshall Realty. 

The real estate world wasn’t new to Hoy. Remembering those early days working for her dad, it seemed a natural career path.  “I worked summers at my dad’s company from when I was 14 to 19 years old,” said Hoy. At the time, she didn’t have an appreciation for time spent learning the business, however, she does now. In the late 60’s, “Not many daughters did that years ago," said Hoy. 

Joe Marshall started his company before Hoy was born. “Not only did he sell houses, he owned a mortgage and insurance company too.” said Hoy. 

Additionally, Marshall managed the Guthrie Building for the Guthrie’s, a  prominent family in Paducah. Today, the Guthrie Building is a historical landmark. According to the historical marker, it was established in 1897 and was known as the Fraternity Building during WWII. It was home of the Paducah-McCracken County Draft Board. Nearly 5,000 men and women from the Paducah area served in the war. It was designated a Kentucky landmark in 2002, and is now used as an office building.  

Hoy’s father died in 1990 and left the business to Hoy. The Guthrie building was sold and the office merged with Coldwell Banker. Hoy was a broker with Coldwell Banker/Marshall Realty for 25 years. 

An award was established in Hoy’s dad’s name, the Joe C. Marshall Distinguished Service Award. The award represented those that contributed to community service beyond self. Hoy won the award as well as realtor of the year as a broker. She’s also held every office at the Paducah Board of Realtors and Western KY. Regional MLS. 

Hoy and Jon have three children; Hannah (40), Zach (38), and Sam (36). Hannah is a second grade teacher at Clark Elementary in Paducah, has three children and is married to Andrew Hammonds. Hammonds is originally from New Zealand and owns a farm in Lone Oak, Koru Gardens. The farm is 21 acres of land dedicated to growing natural and sustainable produce delivered to your table. 

Zach is a Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist in Nashville, Tennessee affiliated with Tristar Centennial Medical Center. He treats children with a broad array of diseases caused by germs, viruses, and fungi, ranging from flu to hospital acquired infections to pneumonia. Zach's uncle and Hoy's brother is a retired surgeon and lives in Floyd's Knob, IN. The Marshalls are an intelligent clan. 

Both Hannah and Zach attended Centre College like their Mom. Hoy said, “When my children went to Centre, both the professors remembered me from those days.” During Hoy’s summers at Centre, she worked for a couple of professors brushing up on her typing skills. “I typed a Quantum Mechanics book and a statistics book.” she said. 

Sam graduated from the University of Louisville. Currently, he works with mom selling real estate and appraising property. Hoy said, “Business has been booming. I thought COVID might ruin real estate, it’s done the opposite. Interest rates are historically low and homes are selling fast."

Though business is good, the negative effects of the virus does take its toll. Hoy said she’ll feel better about it all when there’s a herd immunity. “I’m a mask wearer. I’ve never been too concerned in western Kentucky because we tend to follow the rules, however, I miss seeing my friends.” Hoy said a reunion had been planned for this summer with some of her high school girlfriends. “We planned a trip for turning 65. We had to cancel. It was the right thing to do.” 

Hoy and Jon are still able to enjoy one of their favorite pastimes, golf. The Hoys have played golf for eight years and they love it. They’re members of Drake Creek Golf Club in Ledbetter, Kentucky and play courses all over western Kentucky and southern Illinois. 

In addition to golf, the Hoys like to travel.  Hoy has a sister, Jane that’s 14 years older and lives in Montana. When Hoy was younger, summer trips were spent visiting Jane. She lived in Seattle for a long time and taking trips out west has been missed.

Other fun destinations the family enjoys are trips to Florida and Point Clear, Alabama.  As a side note, travel worth mentioning includes New Zealand and Spain. 

The young girl that worked summers for her dad, is now a successful businesswoman, actively selling houses and appraising property at Century 21 Service Realty in Paducah. Jon is a media specialist at CSI (Computer Services Incorporated). Hoy has many, many friends that go ‘way back’. They dine, laugh, and share the best of times. With a thriving career, successful adult children, and husband Jon of 44 years, 65 is looking better and better all the time.