1920-2008

Dorothy Hofman, 87, a longtime McCabe area resident, passed away Sunday morning, April 6, 2008, at the Roosevelt Memorial Medical Center in Culbertson, with her family at her side.

Her funeral will be celebrated Thursday morning, April 10, 2008, at 10 a.m. at the Ebenezer Lutheran Church in McCabe. Rev. Louise Christianson will officiate, and interment will follow in the Ebenezer Churchyard Cemetery. Dorothy was born on Dec. 30, 1920, to Willie and Elvina Fryhling Larsen at Culbertson. She was raised in the Dane Valley Community where she attended grade school and then graduated from Culbertson High School in 1939. She attended Montana State University in Missoula graduating in 1943 with a bachelor’s degree in home economics and in 1970 received her master’s degree in agricultural education from Montana State University in Bozeman.

She taught school at Sidney and Culbertson and in 1964 began work for the Cooperative Extension Service as extension agent on the Ft. Peck Indian Reservation. In 1970, she became the agent for all of Roosevelt County becoming chairman of the office in 1973 until her retirement in January of 1983. During her tenure as agent, she received numerous recognitions including Distinguished Service award and Agent of the Year (Silver Buffalo Award).

Dorothy was instrumental in getting the Roosevelt County Junk Vehicle Program started, teaching of upholstery in the county, proper use of government commodities and organizing and establishing of the county fair.

On June 9, 1946, Dorothy was united in marriage to Frederick (Fritz) Hofman at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Dane Valley, where they were both life-long members.

Fritz and Dorothy made their home in McCabe and celebrated their 50th anniversary in June 1996. Fritz passed away on Nov. 17, 1996.

Dorothy enjoyed her retirement years, traveling three times to Alaska with her son, Dean, to fish for salmon, and gardening and quilting for Lutheran World Relief. She enjoyed bird watching, upholstering and crocheting. Lenore and Josephine Red Elk introduced her to the star quilt pattern while working on the reservation, and she became a master quilter of the eight-point star pattern. She donated her time and talents to making many of these quilts for area benefits.

Before and after her retirement, Dorothy was very active in her church, serving as a Sunday School superintendent, teacher, officer in WELCA and Church Council. She spent many hours working on Lutheran World Relief projects, especially quilts. She served as Lutheran Brotherhood, AAL and then Thrivent representatives. She spent many hours getting ready for Ebenezer’s 100th anniversary in June of last year, planning the Danish Tea served by her family.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband, Fritz; her parents; two brothers, Reuben and Arlie; one sister, Pearl; and infant grandson, Teddy.

She is survived by her four children, Greg (Judy), McCabe, Dean, Wisconsin, Cheryl (Ron) Arthur, Culbertson, and Jerry (Jen), California. Also surviving are grandchildren, Fred, Terri, Rob, Chris, Dustin, Stephanie, Ian and Aaron; 10 great-grandchildren; four brothers, Glen, Robert, Eugene and Leroy Larsen, all of Culbertson; two sisters, Della Wix, Culbertson, and Gloria Ralston, Brockton; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to the Ebenezer Lutheran Church or charity of one’s choice.

Friends may call at the Everson-Clayton-Stevenson Funeral Home of Culbertson Wednesday from 2-7 p.m. and Thursday for the hour preceding the service at the church. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family at efh@eversonfh.com

The Everson-Clayton-Stevenson Funereal Home of Culbertson is caring for the family.