William Frederick Hoffman, Jr. died on October 26, 2015 at the Missouri Veteran’s Home, Mt. Vernon, Missouri. He was born on October 5, 1931, in Chicago Illinois to William Frederick Hoffman, Sr. and Hedwig Elizabeth Weiss Hoffman.
Bill grew up in Chicago. After graduation from Carl Schurz High School, he joined and served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1955. Bill was stationed at Fort Crowder in Neosho, Missouri as a military policeman when he met Joyce ZaDean Johnson Joplin, Missouri. Bill and ZaDean were married on March 7, 1954 in Joplin.
Bill attended Joplin Junior College and Kansas State Teachers College in Pittsburg, Kansas and earned a Bachelor’s degree in 1959 and Master’s degree in 1968. He started his teaching career at Carthage High School in 1959. He left Carthage High School in 1968 to teach in Joplin. He taught history at Memorial High School and then Parkwood High School until his retirement from teaching in 1989. Bill always had a second job while teaching. He worked part time at Sears in Joplin for many years, then started selling Jayco camper trailers in the 1970’s. He owned and operated Trailers and Sailers on old Route 66 until he closed the business in 2014.
Bill was a loving husband, devoted father and friend to many. He was a hard worker and there was very little that he could not fix or build. He was an avid reader and loved to travel. After he retired from teaching, he and ZaDean took many trips in the U.S. They also took many trips to Europe with their niece, Pat Grider Rodgers and her husband, Jack. These trips brought to life his love of history and made many wonderful memories.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, sister Florence Clancy, brother Robert Hoffman, two step brothers, Richard and Roger Hoffman and a step sister, Mary Lou Hoffman. He is survived by his wife, ZaDean, two sons, Bill Hoffman and partner Maria Straus, and David Hoffman and wife Sheila, two daughters, Michele Sexton and husband Dean, and Julie Hoffman and partner Alicia, six grandchildren, Matthew Lonardo, Nicole Hoffman, Rachael Hoffman, Deandra Sexton, Luci Dickinson-Hoffman and Sally Dickinson-Hoffman, and five great-grandchildren, Aria and Arlo Lonardo and Allison, Aimee and Nicholas Pitts one sister, Hope Mijalski, and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 1, 2015 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm at Knell Mortuary, Carthage, followed by a memorial service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Soul’s Harbor, Joplin, Missouri, the Crisis Center, Carthage, Missouri, Smile Train or the Foundation for Neurological Diseases.
Online condolences may be expressed through www.knellmortuary.com. Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of Knell Mortuary.
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