Warren G. Hofman

Warren G. Hofman, 96 years young, passed away peacefully in his home on Saturday, December 31, 2016.A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Saturday, January 14 at 12:00 noon at Sacred Heart Parish in Horicon, with Father Mike Petri celebrating the Mass. Visitation will be held prior to the Mass at Sacred Heart Parish beginning at 10:30 a.m. Inurnment will take place at St. Malachy Cemetery in Horicon. Graveside military rites will be conducted by Horicon Am. Legion Post #157.Warren was born on February 8, 1920 to George and Angeline (Vennix) Hofman in Marion, Wisconsin. After graduating from Marion High School he joined the Civilian Conservation Corp and moved to Antigo, Wisconsin. There he met the love of his life, Henrietta (Hennie) Ann Franz, where they both were working at Powell’s Supper Club. Warren played the cornet with Glenn L. Preuss and his Orchestra at the supper club and also waited tables. As he was walking Hennie home one night she slipped on the ice and as he caught her he said “I’ll fall WITH you but I won’t fall FOR you.’ And then they fell in love. Warren and Hennie were married on August 9, 1943 at St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in Antigo.Warren was drafted into the U.S. Army in April 1944. After training he was deployed to Europe where he served until the end of World War ll in May 1945. He had been stationed in France, Belgium, Germany and England before returning home. After the war he was employed at FWD Corporation in Clintonville, WI where he learned time-studies and during this time he also earned a degree in Industrial Engineering. In 1949 he moved his family to Horicon where he was hired as an Industrial Engineer (time-studies) for the John Deere Van Brunt Company, now John Deere Horicon Works. There he became General Foreman of the foundry and after the closing of the foundry he became a supervisor and then general supervisor in manufacturing, then warehousing, shipping and receiving. He built many friendships and earned the respect of his coworkers and employees as having a reputation of being a fair but decisive supervisor. After his retirement in 1982, it was his dedication to the company and his interest in the people, methods and mechanics that kept him working for another 20+ years, performing and directing a variety of jobs and special projects. Warren had a strong interest in mechanics and technology that kept him active both prior to and beyond retirement. He enjoyed woodworking and related activities and spent much time over the years building and caring for their home. He became an avid bicyclist and did much bicycling with Hennie and with his two sons, including several long distance trips, the longest being a trip to Copper Harbor, Michigan where he and Hennie had honeymooned so many years before. Warren’s greatest interest was traveling and he and Hennie had traveled all over the United States, Mexico and Canada, as well as abroad. Family was an important part of Warren’s life and he greatly enjoyed all the family gatherings. He is survived by four children, Sharon (Kent) Plautz, Margaret (Steve) Hull, David (Dawn) Hofman, and Steven (Connie) Hofman; eleven grandchildren, Nanette Carlson, Christopher (Terri) Plautz, Michelle (Mark) Haas, Stephanie (Mike) Solverud, Patrick Hartwig, Brandon (Megan) Hull, Jessica (Albert) Stacy, Sara (Scott) Gullickson, Ellea Hofman-Verbeten, Devon (Scott) Schrieber, and Aaron Hofman; nineteen great-grandchildren and other relatives and friends.Warren was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter Joanne (Hartwig) in 1984, Hennie – his wife of 60 years in 2003, and three brothers; Quentin, Peter and Carlyle Hofman. After the death of Hennie, Warren eventually remarried June (Ehlert) Schultz was a former classmate from Marion. They were married in 2005. June passed away in 2014.Special thanks to the individual caregivers and to Hillside Hospice for all the great care and comfort they provided that enabled him to stay in the home he built on earth until the Lord welcomed him into his eternal home in heaven.Memorials may be directed to Hillside Hospice in Beaver Dam or to Sacred Heart Parish in Horicon.