Obituary of Monroe Cletus Hoffmann

Monroe C. Hoffmann, 93, of Worthington, died Tuesday, July 26, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center in Dyersville. Visitation will be held 2 – 8 p.m. Thursday, August 4, 2016, at Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave SW in Dyersville where a parish vigil service will be held at 4:30 pm. Visitation will continue Friday from 9 – 10 am at Kramer Funeral Home prior to funeral services. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, August 5, 2016, at St. Paul Catholic Church in Worthington, with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Dennis Quint will officiate. Military honors will be accorded by American Legion Post 137 Monroe was born August 28, 1922, in Dyersville, Iowa the son of Nick and Leona (Meyer) Hoffmann. He enlisted in the Army during WWII, served in combat during the Battle of the Bulge and earned three Bronze Stars. When he returned, he married Ardella Bildstein on Feb. 4, 1947, in Dyersville. Together they farmed near Worthington until moving to town in 1973. He continued to help the boys on the farm into his 90’s. He was a family oriented farmer who took the time to spend with his wife going to dances, especially square dancing, picnics, fish fry’s, spending time with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He loved to go to the feed store, talking and having coffee with his group of friends, and telling many stories, and “That’s the way it was.” Survivors include his wife, Ardella, children: Kenneth Hoffmann of Dubuque, Francis (Shari) and Gary (Theresa), both of Worthington; 9 grandchildren: Scott (Amy) Hoffmann, Sharlyn Donovan, Michelle (Bob) Rausch, Shawn (Jodi) Hoffmann, Shyla Kae (Scott) Wulfekuhle, Shamus (Lori) Hoffmann, Aaron (Leah) Hoffmann, Amanda (Rob) Baumhover, and Lee (Diana) Hoffmann; 19 great grandchildren: a sister, Norma Fortmann of Worthington; sisters -in-law, and Olga Helle of Dyersville and Eileen Bildstein of Earlville. He was preceded in death by his parents, his parents-in-law, Clem and Oda Bildstein, his siblings: Martha (George) Kramer, Mabel (John) Kremer, Bernice (Melvin) Mai, and Donald (Bernie) Hoffmann and Hazel (George) Mullis; in-laws: Merlin Fortmann, Marvin Helle, Henry “Jr.” Bildstein, Esther (Gilbert) Digmann, and Mathias (Adell) Bildstein.