Duane F. Hoffmann Obituary
Duane Francis Hoffmann age 85, born in Oconomowoc to John and Mabel Hoffmann on September 27, 1937, and was peacefully born to eternal life on April 14, 2023.
A gifted athlete at Oconomowoc High School, Duane earned varsity letters in football, basketball, and track, where he excelled as a high jumper. He also was one of the few young men active in ski jumping at Devil's Hollow. Widely regarded as one of the finest athletes Oconomowoc had ever produced, Duane was chosen to the inaugural class of Oconomowoc High School's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019. While at OHS, Duane developed his passion for sports along with a short, cute girl from Mapleton by the name of Nancy Torgerson.
Upon their graduation in 1956, Duane and Nancy moved to Decorah, IA where they both attended Luther College and were married on December 5, 1959, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Stone Bank, WI.
Duane was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1962 at the height of the Cold War and the early stages of the Vietnam War. The Cuban Missile Crisis happened in his first year of service while stationed at Fort Meyer (Arlington, VA), just outside of Washington D.C. During his service, the nation lost Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Gen. Curtis LeMay, as well as President John F. Kennedy in which Duane participated in their processions. He was honorably discharged on April 15, 1964.
After his discharge Duane and Nancy moved back to Oconomowoc where he began his career in sales, which lasted until he retired in 2015. In the summer of 1964 Duane joined LaBelle Country Club where he began his love for golf, a passion that never left him until he physically was no longer able to play.
Duane had a deep sense of pride and love for the beauty and history of Oconomowoc. That, along with his natural sense of duty towards maintaining and preserving it, Duane played a large part in raising funds necessary to maintaining the American flags that would be on display all over the city. His efforts were rewarded as he was honored as the Grand Marshall of the 2000 Oconomowoc Memorial Day Parade.
Duane was slowed in recent years, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2015. Although a steady loss of Duane's short-term memory occurred, his long-term memory did not fade without a fight. He loved getting together with his dear friends every Wednesday to play sheepshead at Grill 164. He was also adamant about going to Oconomowoc VFW as part of his daily schedule, drinking a Diet Coke and telling stories of yesteryear. He vocalized his desire to maintain these activities right up until days before his death.
Duane was the dear husband of 63 years to Nancy; the beloved father to his three sons, Mike (Rebecca), Tom (Karen), and Andy (Heather); and the sweet "candy grandpa" to Ashlie, Haley, Taylor, Morgan, Michael, Andrew, Ryan and Ainsley.
He was preceded in death by his parents John and Mabel, his sister Pauline, and his brother Ron.
Memorial service will be held Saturday April 22, 2023 at Thirst Church 1260 Brown St. Oconomowoc. The time will be posted tomorrow afternoon.
