Duane H. Hoffman

Duane Hoffman age 93, of Pemberton died peacefully, with his family by his side, on Thursday November 22nd, 2018 at his home in Pemberton, Minnesota.
Funeral Service will be 11:30 AM on Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Alma City with Rev. Keith Bilitz officiating. Interment will be in Alma City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-7 PM on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at Starkson & Steffel Funeral & Cremation Service ~ Arnoldt Chapel of Janesville. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.
Memorials are preferred to St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church in Alma City or Mayo Clinic Hospice.
www.wasecafuneral.com
Duane Herbert Hoffman was born in Pemberton Minnesota to Albert and Ida (Buecksler-Krienke) Hoffman on August 15th, 1925. He was raised on the family farm with his brothers and learned how to farm and work with machinery in the family threshing business. With his dads passing, Duane took on the operations of the family implement business while his brother Norman continued to farm and his brother Gerald started his own automotive shop. Duane owned Hofman Implement which served farmers throughout the area with equipment sales, repairs and seed for crops.
Duanes courtship with Gerda began after he took her on an impromptu airplane ride, which she was reluctant to experience. Duane not only successfully landed his Globe Swift airplane that day, but also landed the wife of his dreams. Duane and Gerda were later united in marriage on June 1, 1957, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mankato. Together they shared 60 wonderful years of marriage. Duane and Gerda worked alongside each other in their family business (Hofman Implement in Pemberton) for many years, raising their family in the upstairs living quarters of the implement dealership. Duane was a devoted husband and wonderful provider for his family. They took many memorable trips traveling to various places in conjunction with business and family fun road trips around the USA and Canada. They were even fortunate enough to travel to Germany on a couple of occasions to visit the many relatives which Gerda left behind when her family immigrated to the United States in 1952.
Duane was a faithful member of St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church in Alma City, holding several positions to assist the church in ministering to those in the community and congregation. Duane also faithfully served the community where he lived, being Fire Chief for 35 years before retiring and leaving a job he loved. He was very active in the local business community in Pemberton and enjoyed being a part of the area where they were raising their family. He enjoyed flying his airplane in his early years and being involved in Civil Air Patrol. Duane cherished the time he spent with his wife, children and grandchildren. He taught his children his love of fishing, hunting and how to enjoy the beauty of nature. Duane set a good example in always being truthful and faithful in his dealing with others and he and Gerda made sure each of their children knew of the love that Christ has for us. His family will always remember him for being a role model, a husband, father and servant leader. He will be dearly missed.
Duane is survived by his children: Shane (Shannon) Hoffman of Brooklyn Park, Sheila Christiansen of Pemberton, Scott (Christina) Hoffman of Ellsworth, WI and Brenda (Scott) Ahlman of Medford; 14 grandchildren; Zach and Aaron Hoffman, Dustin and David Christiansen, Andrew (Erica), Anthony, Alex, Edline, Love and Josiah Hoffman, Luke, Lindsay, Lanie and Logan Ahlman; 3 great grandchildren: Mia Hoffman, Mia Lopez and Quinn Almendinger; brother, Gerald (Gloria) Hofman of Mapleton; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Gerda; his parents, Albert and Ida Hoffman; brother, Norman, sister-in-law, LaVonne Hoffman; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Reinhard and Frieda Koschnick; brother-in-law, Heinz Koschnick; sister-in-law, Marlene Koschnick; nephew, Dennis Hoffman; step father, Louis Krienke; and many family and friends from the surrounding area and abroad.