SEARCY — Hermine Maria Pitard,

78, of Searcy, passed away Sunday, May 7, 2023. She was born March 9, 1945, in Auerbach, Germany, to the late Karl and Elisabeth Hofmann.

In Germany, Maria was very involved in her Catholic faith community and formed relationships with her classmates that lasted until her passing. She married James Tarleton “Toddy” Pitard, Sr., who was stationed in Grafenwehr, Germany, and moved to the United States, El Dorado, Ark., in 1965 at age 20.

There she raised her three children, joined Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, worked at Arkla Gas until retirement and worked very hard to obtain her citizenship. Spending time with her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were some of her most precious times. She traveled back to Germany as much as she could and had just returned from a trip to be with her family there one last time.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Kenneth Lee Smith, Jr.; and brother, Hans Joseph Hofmann.

Those left to cherish her memory and to miss her dearly are her children, Toddy Pitard, Jr. (Amanda), Robert Pitard (Crystal), and Maria Pitard Southall (Michael); seven grandchildren, Kylea, Carson, Brette, Brennan, Briley, Brooklin and Braeden Pitard; siblings, Otto Hofmann and Hedwig Kleinoder of Germany, as well as many extended family members and friends from Germany and the United States.

Visitation will be from 6-7 p.m., with a Rosary service beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Saint Jude the Apostle Catholic Church. A Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Friday, May 19, 2023 at the church. Arrangements by Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home, 501-843-5816. Please sign the online guestbook at www.moorescabotfuneralhome.com.