Kent Hoffman Obituary (1935 - 2016)

Kent passed away Friday, July 1, 2016. He was born December 21, 1935 in Buhl, Idaho the son of Orritt Calvin Hoffman and Della Grace Stallings. He herded sheep from the age of 11 years old for his uncle, so every summer between school terms he was in the South Hills outside of Twin Falls. He rode his horse, slept in a camp trailer, drank canned milk, which he hated but he really enjoyed his summers. His sister Shirley would come for a visit since she loved any animals and riding the horse. He dated Evelyn Hearn in high school and would walk 11 miles to see her and then walk back home after their date. He moved with his family to Ketchikan, Alaska when he was 18, came back to Buhl and asked Evelyn to marry him and she said yes. So then they both returned to Ketchikan where they had 2 children and Kent worked at the Ketchikan Pulp Mill. They were later divorced and he married Cleo Kay Swanson who had 4 children. Kent and Kay had 2 more children. Kent adopted 2 of Kay's children. During this time Kent was called as Branch President of the Ketchikan Branch serving from 1969 to 1972 when he was released and called to be a District High Councilman. Severe arthritis problems prompted Kent to come to Salt Lake City where he got a bachelors degree in accounting at the University of Utah. Kent and Kay were later divorced and he asked Julene who he had met in Hunter if she would go to Alaska with him when he graduated and she said yes. Julene and Kent were then married in Alaska and lived there 17 years. They really enjoyed hunting moose and caribou, fishing and then either smoking their fish or canning it and sending down to Utah as Christmas presents. Also enjoyed floating the Alexander Creek River 75 miles for 3 years in a row - rowing that far was exhausting but did it every year. While in Alaska, every summer they brought their younger children up to Alaska, Julene had 4 kids by a previous marriage but her youngest Jeff and Colleen along with Kent's youngest Kim and Jason would all come from Utah every summer. Kent's meniers disease forced him to retire from the State of Alaska Oil and Gas Division job, so he returned to Utah where Julene continued working for the IRS. They moved to Pleasant Grove and have lived there 22 years. They have had the most wonderful friends, family and ward family and have gone on 3 cruises with Millers, Cottles & Sorensons, many trips to their time share in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with friends and cousins since 1989 and many wagon lamp selling trips with dear friends Larry and Kay Sorenson. Kent's favorite past time was writing his life story, attending the Temple to do work for his ancestors and playing cards with the Smiths, Browns, Sorensons and later with family members. Kent really enjoyed the 30 day trip to attend 10 temples from one coast to the other and visiting relatives along the way. He passed away from pulmonary fibrosis following a hip replacement. Kent was preceded in death by 2 brothers Nyal and Carl, a brother-in-law Howard and both parents. Surviving family members are wife, Julene; sisters Shirley (Ralph) Sherrill of Darrington, WA, LuDene Hopkins of Twin Falls, ID; sister-in-law Judy Hoffman of Filer, ID; uncle Rex (Carol) Stallings of Sandy, UT; aunt Bertha Hall of Sandy, UT; children Charles (Andrea) Swanson of West Haven, UT; Teresa (Emanuel) Collins of Tacoma, WA; Frederick (Linda) Hoffman of Buckeye, AZ; Eric Hoffman of Tuscon, AZ; Kim Hoffman of Tokyo, Japan; Jason (Bonnie) Hoffman of Warrington, PA; Diana (Kevin) Knight of Abu Dhabi, UAE; Christopher Nelson of West Valley City, UT; Jeffrey (Denise) Nelson of Palmer, AK and Colleen (Terry) Hughes of West Valley City, UT; 28 grandkids and 26 great grandkids and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 6, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. in the Battle Creek Eighth Ward Chapel, 1250 East 200 South, Pleasant Grove with a viewing from 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. prior to the services. Interment will be in the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinmortuary.com.