Calvin R. Hofer: 1939-2023
Calvin Ray Hofer was born to his parents John A. and Marie (Pullman) Hofer on Nov. 1, 1939. He joined two older sisters and two older brothers. He was later joined by two brothers and a sister who completed the family.
Calvin grew up on the family farm with his siblings. He attended Cottonwood District 96, a rural country school ¾ of a mile north of Silver Lake through the eighth grade. He then attended Freeman Academy, graduating in 1957. Following graduation, Calvin enrolled at Freeman Junior College in the Teachers Education Course.
Upon profession of his faith in Christ as his savior, he was baptized and accepted as a member of the Hutterthal Mennonite Church. Calvin was an adult Sunday school teacher and responsible for the sound system for church services.
Calvin taught at a rural school southeast of Freeman, S.D. After three years of teaching, he was drafted and served in the US Army. His basic training was at Fort Leonard, Mo. At Fort Gordon in Georgia, he went to signal school and became a radio operator. Calvin entered the army after the Cuban crisis. The day that he left Fort Gordon, President Kennedy was assassinated, and Calvin was shipped to Germany by ship. While on the journey to Germany, the worst storms arrived in November; the North Sea was at its worst. They were horribly seasick. He served at a German base near the Black Forest, close to Switzerland. During weekends, they were allowed to go sight-seeing and touring; he enjoyed many European sites.
When Calvin came home after his tour of duty, he returned to the family farm to assist his father. Later, he purchased the home farm from his parents in 1972. He farmed for the rest of his life until his passing on Jan. 15, 2023.
The last five years of Calvin’s life, he experienced several medical concerns. A cancerous tumor was removed from his left cheek, which left his face disfigured. He depended more on Korey to be his chauffeur. Three years ago, Calvin down-sized farming and rented land to his grandnephews: Lincoln, Landon, Lawton, and Logan. They were a big help when it came to doing the grunt work like climbing siloes, working livestock, and handling bales.
Grateful for having shared his life are his sister, Jeanette Tschetter; brothers Robert (Karol) Hofer and John (Carolyn) Hofer; nieces: Marla (Doug) Gilbert, Cindy (Steve) VerBerg, Karolyn (Larry) Langerock and Denise Hofer; nephews: Daryl Tschetter, Steve Tschetter, Korey J. Hofer, Kevin J. Hofer and Steven (Joana) Hofer; 17 grandnieces and nephews, and 5 great-grandnieces and nephews.
Calvin was preceded in death by his parents, John A. and Marie S. (Pullman) Hofer; grandparents Andrew R.M. and Susan (Wipf) Hofer, and Paul and Sarah (Wollman) Pullman; all of his aunts and uncles; sisters: Bernadine Hofer and Irene Marie Hofer; brothers: Harold Hofer and Harris Hofer; sisters-in-law: Hope Hofer and an unborn son and Phyllis Hofer; brothers-in-law: John W. Hofer and Calvin Tschetter; nephews: Philip Ray Hofer, Brian Hofer, and Douglas Hofer; grandnephew: Gabriel Hofer; and nieces: Kathleen Joy Hofer and Vicky (Howard) Stockmen.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, March 28 at 11 a.m. at the Hutterthal Mennonite Church of rural Freeman.
