Earnest Hoffa

Earnest Ray Hoffa, 95, passed peacefully from this life on Sunday, August 16, 2020 at Oakview Nursing Home, Conrad, IA of causes incident to age. Private graveside services will be held at Sheller Cemetery in rural Grundy County Iowa.

Anderson Funeral Homes of Conrad has been entrusted with arrangements. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Arbor Day Foundation, the Ostfriesian Heritage Society, or a charity of choice to help support recovery efforts from the pandemic and derecho. Online condolences may be sent to www.andersonfhs.com.

 

Earnest was born on the family farm in rural Grundy County, IA on April 30, 1925. He is the son of Lester Alvin and Aijeldena "Dena" (Schatzberg) Hoffa. He lived most of his life on the family farm. He attended the local country school, at Wellsburg, IA and graduated from Grundy Center High School in 1943. Earnest served in the United States Navy from January, 1946 to November, 1947. He attended McPherson College in McPherson, KS for a year during which he met Arba Jean Evans of Lexington, Nebraska. They married on February 7, 1950.

 

Jean and her brother Gary were killed in a car accident on July 29, 1951 in which Earnest was seriously injured. He spent five months in the Deaconnes Hospital in Marshalltown, IA recovering. Towards the end of this time, he was introduced to Helen Louise Paul from Newton, IA who was there also recovering from a car accident. They subsequently married on January 10, 1954 in Kellogg, IA. Earnest graduated from Marshalltown Community College in 1968 and then from the University of Northern Iowa in 1970 with a bachelors degree in Industrial Arts Education.

 

In addition to farming, Earnest worked for the Mid-Iowa Workshops, Inc. and then for the Soil Conservation Service in Hardin County, retiring in 1990. Since his father passed away when he was 17, Earnest learned to work hard and was very frugal. He loved farming, the land, and the outdoors. He was an avid reader, gardener, golfer, quilter, and traveler. He loved to mow the acreage, read the newspaper and the National Geographic, and golfed with Helen in Wellsburg until he was 90. All of the children, grandchildren, and others were the recipients of beautiful quilts he and Helen made. Their love of travel took them to all 50 states often with family and Earnest Hoffa especially loving the National Parks.

He loved to watch NASCAR racing, the Cubs games, golf, and the birds outside. He also loved all his dogs, especially Tasha and Nicki. He loved to play games with the family; family always came first. Of great importance to him was his testimony and love of his Savior, Jesus Christ, and his Heavenly Father. He is grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His gospel. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He held many callings in the Marshalltown Ward and the Ames Iowa Stake including serving as bishop and on the high council. He and Helen served a church mission in the Chicago, IL Temple. They also worked in the Winter Quarters Temple. He loves the teachings about eternal families and looked forward to his heavenly family.

 

Earnest is survived by three daughters, Karna (Mark) Hawkins of Utah, Kyle (Steven) Nielsen of Iowa, and Dara Hoffa of Utah; and one son, DeLon (Lori) Hoffa of North Carolina. He is also survived by six grandsons and their families; Greg Hawkins: Peton (Sarah), Holland, Sofia, Navie, and Crew Nielsen: Evan Nielsen: Spencer (Deborah) Helen, Spencer Wyatt Hoffa: Hyrum (Emily) Hoffa: and Garrett Hoffa. Also surviving are four brothers-in-law; Norman, Jim (Margaret), Curt, and Keith (Dottie) Paul, and sister-in law; Roberta (Sharp) Hoffa. He was preceded in death by his parents, wives, brother Leon Hoffa, sister Irene (Pabst) Newton, sisters-in-law, Doris Thorson, Phyllis Paul, and Carol Skoog, and brothers-in-law Wayne, Eugene, Dennis, and Dale Paul.

 

Visit the Anderson Funeral Homes website at the link here.