James Franklin Hoy

James Franklin Hoy died at home on Sunday morning, February 23, 2025. He was born December 15, 1939, in El Dorado, Kansas, the son of Kenneth and Marteil Hoy. He was a graduate of Kansas State University, Emporia State University, and the University of Missouri, where he earned a PhD in 1970. He was a professor of English at Emporia State University for more than 40 years and served as the director emeritus of the Center for Great Plains Studies.
A distinguished author, professor, and historian, he devoted much of his life to preserving and promoting the history and folklore of the Kansas Flint Hills. His academic interests included medieval English literature, Western American literature, Australian Outback folklife, and Great Plains folklore. He authored over a dozen books and numerous articles, both scholarly and journalistic. Some of his notable works include "Flint Hills Cowboys: Tales from the Tallgrass Prairie" and "Cowboy's Lament: A Life on the Open Range." He was also a founding board member of Pioneer Bluffs, a historic property dedicated to preserving the heritage of the Flint Hills. In 2022, he received the Chester A. Reynolds National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Award.
In addition to his academic achievements, he remained a working cowboy all his life, often joining his son, Josh, and daughter-in-law, Gwen, to help out on their ranch, the Flying W in Chase County, well into his 80s.
He is survived by his daughter, Farrell Hoy Jenab and grandson Henry Jenab of the Kansas City area, granddaughter Lucy Jenab of Emporia, his daughter-in-law Gwen Hoy and granddaughter, Josie Hoy of Cedar Point, and his sister Rita Todd of Marble Falls, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Catherine Hoy, and his son, Joshua Hoy.
Jim was a proud Kansan whose quiet dignity, love for his work, and deep connection to the land left a lasting impact on his family, his community, and the Kansas Flint Hills, which he worked so hard to preserve.
A memorial for Jim and his son, Josh, will be held on Saturday, March 8, from 1 – 4 p.m. at William Lindsay White Auditorium, 111 East 6th Avenue, Emporia, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pioneer Bluffs, 695 Kansas Highway 177, Matfield Green, Kansas 66862.Rd 290