Robert “Bob” Hoffman, 97, of Norwalk, formerly of the Creston area, died Sept. 17, 2024, at Holland Farms Assisted Living in Norwalk. Celebration of Life Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston. Pastor Al Rusk will officiate. Services will be livestreamed by following the link at www.powersfh.com. Burial will be in Harmony Cemetery, northwest of Shannon City. Military rites will be by Theodore J. Martens, Creston VFW Post #1797. Open visitation will be 2-7 p.m., with family receiving friends from 5-7 p.m., Friday, at Powers Funeral Home.
Memorials are to the family to be designated later. Online condolences may be given at www.powers.com.
Robert (Bob) Vernon Hoffman went to his Savior on Sept. 17, at Holland Farms in Norwalk. Bob Hoffman was born Oct. 6, 1926, to Fred and Helene Hoffman. He lived his early life on a farm near Shannon City, and spent later years growing up in Iowa, California and North Dakota. Fred Hoffman and his family were “Okies” from Iowa, living in California in the early 1930s. Later in the 1930s, they moved to North Dakota and then back to Iowa.
In 1943, Bob went to California and worked in a shipyard, then volunteered for the Navy. He went to the Pacific Campaign on the USS Stevenson, where his rank was Fireman 1st Class. He was involved in several battles while serving below decks in the boiler room, one of which was Okinawa. His 1945, ports of call included Tokyo and Hiroshima, Japan. He also served on the USS Hope hospital ship and during the occupation of Japan.
When he came home from the war, he worked for his uncle, Don, and eventually bought a truck and started running coast to coast with his brother, Dean. This went on for a few years, during which time he went into Hanson’s Drug store in Creston, and met Patricia Miller, who was working there as a soda jerk. They were married shortly thereafter.
Four children were born to this marriage, Lisa, Mauricsa, Robert and Helene. During these early years, Bob started with trucking for a living, then moved on to farming. Bob started renting ground in northern Ringgold County, then moved on to the Winterset area. He finally purchased a farm south of Creston in 1964 from Grace and Ruth Madden on a handshake and no money down. There were kids to rear, a house to remodel, crops to plant, cattle to raise and his beautiful wife, Pat, to help with all these things and more. He worked hard and expected the same from his children.
The years went by and kids grew up and moved out. The farm went into CRP in 1987. Bob and Pat moved to Oakland, so Pat could teach in what is now the Riverside School District. Bob did part time jobs in security and took up cabinetry again.
In 2020, Pat passed on and Bob moved home to what was previously Pat’s parents farm near Kent. After suffering a stroke in January 2023, Bob spent time at Homestead Assisted Living in Creston, then Holland Farms in Norwalk, where he enjoyed visiting with other residents, playing bingo and attending church and a Bible study.
If you knew Bob Hoffman, you would have been asked if you were saved. The guiding light of his life for more than 50 years was Jesus Christ.
Bob had his own way of doing things and you never doubted what his opinion was on anything. He was a good, loving, generous father who helped all of his adult children with gas money to and from college, gave hugs generously and there was the ever present “Watch for deer” warning when they traveled.
Preceding him in death were his wife, Patrica Hoffman; parents, Fred and Helene Hoffman; brothers, Dean, Kenneth and Frank Hoffman and sister, Enie Lenz.
Survivors include daughters, Lisa (Steve) Schuelke of Clever, Missouri, Mauricsa (Rock) Merryfield of Indianola, Helene (Rod) Bergren of Polk City and son, Robert (Pamela) Hoffman of Diagonal; nine grandchildren; one great-grandchild; sisters, Grace Boughton of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, and Rose Ann Cheney of Spokane, Washington; many other friends and relatives.
So long, Dad, now you can watch the Lord’s cattle on a thousand hills.