Helen Hoffer

Tuesday, April 5, 2022 4:00 pm

Helen Hoffer, age 95 of Decorah died on Monday, April 4, 2022 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon.

Services are pending.

Helen Hoffer was born on Aug. 11, 1926, the daughter of Ernest and Mary (MacGregor) Middlemiss in Portland, Oregon.  Helen graduated from Silverton High School in Silverton, Oregon.After high school, Helen helped take care of her mother who was seriously ill.  During this time Helen learned to cook and bake and because she became so good at it, her mother often told her that someday she would get married and make her husband “very happy” with her good cooking!

Helen married Gilbert Hoffer on November 27, 1946, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mt. Angel, Ore. Together they farmed near Mt. Angel for a short time before moving to northwest Iowa in 1947. In 1959 Gilbert and Helen moved to Decorah where Helen was a homemaker as well as being employed as an “Avon lady” and a cook at East Side School. Helen’s hobbies included golfing, fishing, flower gardening, bird watching, walking, volunteer work, caring for elderly ladies in their homes as well as generously sharing lots of her homemade cooking and baking with neighbors and friends. Helen was also very proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and loved spending time with them as much as possible.

Helen was a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, Catholic Daughters, Rosary Society, VFW Ladies Auxiliary, the Red Hat Society and Silvercrest Golf Course.

Helen’s survivors include one daughter: Donna (Eugene) Herman, New Albin; two sons: Paul (Anna) Hoffer, Houston, Texas and Todd Hoffer, Oelwein. In addition, three grandchildren: Ryan (Sarah) Herman, Caledonia, Minn., Heather (Ryan) Loock, Green Bay, Wis., and Brad (Susie) Hoffer, Houston, Texas and nine great-grandchildren: Paige, triplets Jacoby, Amber and Lily Loock, Maggie, Will and Andrew Herman, Ace and Brony’x Hoffer. Also, two sister-in-laws: Regina Kleinschmidt, Mt. Angel, Ore., and Nella Hoffer, Union City, Calif., along with many nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Gilbert in 2014. Her parents: Ernest and Mary (MacGregor) Middlemiss; wo sisters: Margaret Hoffer and Jean Komp; brother: John Middlemiss, and four brothers-in-law.