Nancy Leonora (Palme) Hoe

Nancy Leonora Palme Hoe

Nancy Leonora Palme Hoe, Ph.D., age 63, of Hamilton, MT, went to be with the lord on the morning of September 17th, 2022, at Bitterroot Health-Daly Hospital.

Born Nancy Leonora Palme in Princeton, NJ to Mary Hansell Cousar Palme and Richard Baumann Palme, she grew up in Flemington, NJ.  After graduating from Hunterdon Central High School, she attended Sweet Briar College in Virginia where she received a bachelor’s degree in General Biology. She then went to work for Mobil Oil.

On her 23rd birthday Nancy met Joseph Peter Hoe III at The Melody in New Brunswick, NJ.  They were married at the American Baptist Church in Flemington, NJ in the winter of 1982.

After getting married Nancy and Joe relocated to Memphis, TN so that Nancy could pursue her Doctorate in Microbiology at the University of Tennessee Memphis.  In 1987, her academic journey took her to the University of Massachusetts Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Worcester, MA.  In 1994 she graduated with a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology.  In 1997 she moved the family to Houston, TX to be a research associate at the Baylor College of Medicine. In 1999, the family settled in Hamilton, MT. Nancy spent the next five years as a staff scientist at Rocky Mountain Laboratories studying Streptococcus pyogenes. In 2004 she became the Biosafety Officer/Responsible Official for Select Agents.  During the next 17 years she helped create one of the most highly regarded biosafety departments in the country.  In 2012 she received the NIH Director’s Award.

During her childhood Nancy discovered her love of horses and equestrianism.  She began riding at a young age and rekindled her love of riding after moving to Montana.  She also enjoyed knitting, reading, singing, and playing the piano.

Throughout her life, Nancy was very committed to her faith and was an active member of the Hamilton First Presbyterian Church where she was a choir member and elder.

She leaves behind her loving husband of 40 years, Joseph; her devoted son, Bradley; sister, Elizabeth; brother, John (Lyn); sisters-in-law, Leslie (Michael), Gail (Bruce), and Leslie; nieces, Katherine and Jenna; nephews, James (Marcy), Curtis (Shelby), Troy (Jessica), Graham (Joanne), Karl (Kendra), and Grant (Melissa); she also leaves behind her beloved horse, Punkin.

Nancy was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Hansell Cousar Palme; father, Richard Baumann Palme; and brother, Robert “Bob” James Palme.

A celebration of life service will take place Saturday, December 3, 2022, at the First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Audio-Visual Fund of the First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton, 1220 W Main St, Hamilton, Montana 59840.