Frances L. Hoffman

Frances LaVilla (Hoff) Hoffman, 97, died peacefully, December 4, 2019, in Apple Valley, MN.

A celebration of life service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, December 13, 2019, at Bismarck Baptist Church, 2211 LaForest Avenue, Bismarck, ND. Visitation will be held one hour before the service. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck, after refreshments.

 Frances was born November 5, 1922, on a farm in McIntosh County, near the town of Venturia, ND, the daughter of Fred and Katherina (Herr) Hoff. She was raised on the farm and graduated from Wishek High School in 1941. She attended Northwestern Bible College in Minneapolis in 1945-46.    

Frances married Melvin Clarence Hoffman on October 24, 1947, in Venturia, ND. Together they farmed at Ebenezer, Saskatchewan, Canada, until 1957. After giving up farming, they moved to Wishek, ND, where she taught in rural schools for five years. Later, she worked as a part-time secretary at Wishek Public School for sixteen years and was a US Postal Clerk for 25 years. She was also Postmaster at Lehr, ND, for three years. She retired in 1988 and in 1990, they moved to Bismarck. Melvin went to be with the Lord in March of 1997.

Frances accepted Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior as a young girl and was baptized at the age of 12. She was active in the community and her church, Wishek Baptist and then Bismarck Baptist, where she taught Sunday School, was involved in Women’s Ministry, and held various offices of leadership throughout the years. She used her love of music by singing in many groups, singing duets with her husband, participating in a ladies’ sextet, and directing the church choir. Besides singing, she loved playing the piano and auto harp, doing embroidery, cooking, entertaining friends and family, especially her sons, their wives and her grandchildren.

Being a people person, Frances was dedicated to keeping family ties and friendships strong and used letter writing extensively to pursue that goal.

Frances is survived by two sons, Dean (Suzanne) Hoffman, Richfield, MN; Douglas (Shelley) Hoffman, Sioux Falls, SD; five grandchildren, Kimberly (Scott) Fudali, Waukesha, WI; Joshua Hoffman, New Dehli, India; Tyler Hoffman, Bozeman, MT; Mollie (Lee) Hoover, Sioux Falls, SD; and Michael Hoffman, Sioux Falls, SD; one sister, Loretta Blank, Harrisonburg, VA; two brothers-in-law, Henry Swierenga, Mesa, AZ; and John Hoeldtke, Jackson, TN; and many nieces, nephews, and wonderful friends.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Katherina Hoff; her husband of 49 years, Melvin C. Hoffman; sisters, Thelma (Harvey) Kemp, Gladys Hoff, Vivian (Henry) Swierenga, Marjorie (Jake) Gegelman, Delores (John) Hoeldtke, and Mary Ann Hoff.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bismarck Baptist Church or Bismarck Baptist Home.