Joann M. Hoffman

Hoffman, JoAnn (Hudson), age 85, of Rochester, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on September 9, 2020. JoAnn was born in Mankato, Minnesota and grew up in nearby Lake Crystal on a farm. She graduated in 1953 from Lake Crystal High School, and attended Mankato State Teachers College, from which she graduated in 1957. She met her future husband Herbert Hoffman in Mankato while they were both in school and working at Madsen's grocery store; she as a checker and he bagging groceries. They were married on December 28, 1957 in Lake Crystal, and the two moved to Rochester where JoAnn taught elementary school for 33 years. As a "farm kid," JoAnn was active in 4H and showed animals at the county fair, some of those garnering awards that took her to the Minnesota State Fair. She loved remembering her time with 4H--she was an avid fairgoer throughout her life, never missing a Minnesota State Fair until she was unable to physically attend in the last few years. JoAnn was a teacher for the Rochester School System for 30-plus years. Of all the wonderful things JoAnn loved in her life, family, friends, farms, and fairs, she loved being a teacher. For the majority of her teaching years she taught second- and third-grade students--most of that time at Sunset Terrace Elementary School. Over these years, conservatively, JoAnn taught over a thousand young students. In JoAnn's later years it was common that young adults approached her, with their own children in tow, in grocery stores, movie theatres or at the mall to tell her they had been in her second or third grade class and how much they had liked her and still remembered her. JoAnn's teacher colleagues at Sunset Terrace and those at her Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority became some of her close, lifelong friends. JoAnn was an active member of the Rochester Retired Teachers Association and Alpha Delta Kappa International Sorority. She and her husband are members of Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, where JoAnn was a member and past president of the United Methodist Women. She also taught third grade Sunday school for years and was the nursery coordinator. JoAnn and Herb met friends who turned out to be lifelong when they first moved to Rochester, and also after they moved to their home on 12th Avenue NW in 1961. Years of children's birthday parties, backyard picnics and BBQs, and dinners out at Michaels; these are some of her closest friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Orlando and Mary (Tarrant) Hudson. She is survived by her husband, Herb Hoffman, children Jeff (Horacio) Hoffman and Mary (Doug) Larson, grandsons Jamie Larson, Ben (Gayle) Larson and Sam Larson and great-grandchildren Sydney and Sawyer Larson, and her cousin Jean (Frederickson) Hanson, who they both described each other as sisters. A special thank you Ecumen Seasons for JoAnn's recent care, and to nurse Cindy and all the other staff from Ecumen Hospice for their special attention to JoAnn and her family. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. at Christ United Methodist Church (400 5th Avenue SW Rochester, MN 55902) on Monday, September 14, 2020. A visitation will be held from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes (5421 Royal Place NW Rochester, MN 55901) on Sunday, September 13, 2020 and one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church. Burial will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Ranfranz and vine Funeral Homes is honored to be serving the Hoffman family. To leave a special memory or condolence please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com