ERNEST ‘ERNIE’ HOFFMAN
Ernest “Ernie” Hoffman, 97 years old, went home to the Lord on the morning of August 24, 2018, succumbing to a second heart attack.
Ernie was born April 12, 1921 on the farm west of Long Lake South Dakota, attended rural grade school and graduated from Eureka High School in South Dakota, attending one year at the University of Aberdeen, South Dakota.
He then enlisted in the Army at Ft. Snelling, Minnesota in the Signal Corp Division and was sent back to Aberdeen So. Dakota for 9 months training in building small radios. After graduation he was sent back to Ft. Snelling for further relocation. He was given a thorough physical examination which resulted in his honorable discharge due to lack of vision in his left eye and very poor vision in his right eye.
Ernie returned home to the farm where he met and married the love of his life, Delores Glaesman at the Royal Huffingnusfelt Baptist Church. The couple then left the following day by train to San Francisco, CA where they lived with friends while looking for an apartment and jobs. Ernie went to work for the Western Pacific Railroad in the claims department. Their daughter Kathy was born in San Francisco at St. Francis Hospital and in 1947 they moved to Lodi, CA where they established their home. They immediately joined the First Baptist Church and remained faithful members for 70 years.
Ernie took a liking to selling new automobiles and spent his life as a salesman/sales man- ager for different dealers. He spent 22 years at the Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler dealerships. One of the dealerships was John Drew who had a large over-seas business. One month alone Ernie coordinated the loading and shipment of 121 cars out of San Francisco to Yokahama, Japan. He loved his work just finding that right car for his clients and made many friends over the years.
After all his years in auto sales, he retired and enjoyed traveling in their motor home across the United States visiting relatives and friends. They also visited Europe, including Germany and Switzerland along with several couples from Lodi, having a wonderful, cultural experience.
In between his travels you could always find him at garage sales and on the corner of Vine and Mills holding his own garage sale, sometimes being referred to as the Garage Sale King of Lodi.
Lodi was their lifelong residence. In 2014 Delores and Ernie sold their home and relocated to a lovely apartment in the Pacific View Assisted Living facility just 5 blocks from their daughter’s home in Bandon, Oregon.
Ernie is survived by his wife Delores of 74 years of marriage, his sister Lou Ella Opp in Sioux Falls, So. Dakota; his daughter Kathy Blevins of Bandon, OR; son Robert Hoffman of Fresno, CA; Jenifer Hulse, his granddaughter in Woodland, CA and grandson Cory Rochester in Palm Coast, Florida.
A small private graveside service was held in Bandon, Oregon on August 31st, presided over by Pastor Don Conn of Bandon Faith Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death, by parents, Jacob and Emma Hoffman Ashley, No. Dakota, sister Ella Hoffman (passed away in infancy) and three brothers, Herbert Hoffman, Eureka So. Dakota, Helmuth Hoffman and Raymond Hoffman, Lodi CA.
Any memorial donations on his behalf can be given to the First Baptist Church, 267 North Mills Avenue, Lodi, California 95242 or the charity of your choice.
Please sign the guest book at www.lodinews.com/guestbook.