John Raymond Hoffmann's Obituary
John Raymond Hoffmann was born January 14, 1944 to Adolph (Bill) and Alvina (Marie) Hoffmann in Paterson, New Jersey. Bill and Marie met at Wright Aeronautical Corporation, where Marie worked and Bill attended Naval Academy training. After a romantic courtship, they married and Bill received orders for deployment to the battleship USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. Thankfully, he was redirected to Pensacola, Florida, due to his aptitude for aircraft mechanics. Chief Petty Officer Hoffmann was honorably discharged six years later and joined Marie and John in Paterson. Scholastically gifted, John entered st. Paul’s’ Lutheran School, where he achieved the highest class honors despite arising at 4 am each day to deliver newspapers on his bicycle route. Talented and versatile, he engaged in sports activities and music. John played high school football and p,racticed competitive body building for which he received many awards. Teenage girls “swooned” as he played the guitar and sang Elvis’ songs at local venues with his neighborhood band. Upon graduation from Passaic Valley High School and Upsala College in New Jersey, John entered the u.s. Marine Corps Air Reserves. In 1967, John joined his parents and siblings (Lois, Paul and Cynthia) in Richardson, Texas where Bill had accepted employment two years earlier. John completed his Masters in History “at North Texas State University and taught American History at Westwood Junior High School and Richland College. After completing his doctorate in Educational Administration at East Texas State University (Texas A&M Commerce) he worked as Dean of Adjunct Instruction at Panola College in Carthage, Texas. There he met and married Donna Schumacher. They had one son, John Brandon, who joined Donna’s son, Shawn. Both boys were mentored and coached by John. One of Brandon’s favorite memories is of his dad taking him and his teammates, in his van, for Dairy Queen treats. Shawn was eventually drafted from Texas A&M University as a catcher by the st. Louis Cardinals Organization. A graduate of Louisiana Tech and University of Texas Arlington, Brandon is currently completing coursework toward his Masters degree in Nurse Anesthesia. John was proud of both young men and their accomplishments. John had a distinguished career in education including serving as Vice Chancellor at Southern University Shreveport and as Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at Bossier Parrish Community College. In addition, he taught courses at BPCC and life skills classes at the Bossier Parrish jail. John died peacefully, in his sleep, on the morning of February 17,2015 from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. God is merciful! On March 3, 2015, Brandon and his wife, Jessica, welcomed a healthy baby boy. John’s first grandchild.jacob Aaron Hoffmann.opened his eyes bright and wide with promise for the future. We will now remember John as Jacob’s guardian angel. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75243.
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