Gerda Klara Hoffman

Gerda Hoffman age 81, of Pemberton died peacefully with her husband and family by her side on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Mankato.
Funeral Service will be 2:00 PM on Monday, October 9, 2017 at St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church in Alma City with Rev. Keith Bilitz officiating. Interment will be in the Alma City Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 12:30 PM at the church on Monday.
Memorials are preferred to Susan G. Komen (Dept. 41831, P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265) ww5.komen.org
Arrangements are being completed by Starkson & Steffel Funeral & Cremation Service ~ Arnoldt Chapel of Janesville. www.janesvillefuneral.com
Gerda Klara Hoffman was born in the village of Klenzin in Pomerania, East Germany to Reinhard and Frieda (Freese) Koschnick on March 9, 1936. She was raised in the village of Pommern, Germany, which later became Pommern, Poland. As a young girl, she, alongside her parents, and brother escaped from East Germany to West Germany in search for asylum. While in West Germany awaiting transportation to the United States, Gerda attended a Trade School. In 1952, they successfully arrived in New York and immediately made their way to Minnesota where Gerdas uncle Carl was living. They were jointly sponsored by Albert Hoffman and Carl Koschnick.
Gerda and Duane were later united in marriage on June 1, 1957, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mankato. Together they shared 60 wonderful years of marriage. Gerda worked alongside her husband as the bookkeeper for Hofman Implement in Pemberton for many years. She was also a devoted mother always making sure her children were well taken care of. They raised their family in the upstairs living quarters of the implement dealership. Gerda and Duane spent many winters traveling to various places, one of the most memorable trips was to Germany where Gerda was able to visit family members.
Gerda was a faithful member of St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church in Alma City, where she was active in Ladies Aid and the church choir. She was a member of the German Club and the Home Extension Club. She enjoyed cooking and baking, tending to her flower and vegetable gardens and canning her produce. She cherished the time she spent with her husband, children and grandchildren. Gerda was proud of her family tradition of making her grandchildren school cones filled with supplies for their first day of school. She liked to go dancing and taught her grandchildren the Polka and Waltz, above all, she loved serving others. Her family will always remember her energizing personality and her love for life. She will be dearly missed.
Gerda is survived by her loving husband, Duane of Pemberton; her 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 and 3 great grandchildren; brother-in-law, Gerald (Gloria) Hofman of Mapleton; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents; brother, Heinz (Marlene) Koschnick; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Albert and Ida Hoffman; brother-in-law, Norman (LaVonne) Hoffman; nephew, Dennis Hoffman; step father-in-law, Louis Krienke; and many overseas family and friends from her birth country.