Sarah LaVoun Hoffman
February 25, 1921 - September 06, 2015
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Sarah LaVoun Hoffman
February 25, 1921 - September 06, 2015
Obituary
Sarah LaVoun Hoffman was born Feb. 25, 1921, in McPherson, Kansas to Olen and Elsie John. When she was six, the family moved to southeast Missouri where she attended rural one-room schools and a very small high school.
After two years of college in McPherson she started her teaching career with four years in Fisk, Missouri. In May of 1943, she married Virgil M. Hoffman and, in July, they came to Washington to accept a job in the elementary school in Sumas. She continued her education at Western Washington University, earning her B.A. and 2 more years of credits. She continued teaching in the Nooksack Valley School District for 39 years, retiring in 1983. She taught from third grade to eighth grade but mostly 5th grade.
On their 50th anniversary, she and Virgil moved into a new home on Markworth Road. Both were very active in Church. They started attending Sunrise Baptist in Custer in 1969. LaVoun had many interests; she enjoyed reading, music, needlework, gardening, and homemaking.
Her husband, Virgil, died in 2007. She is also preceded in death by her brothers; Gilbert John and George John. She is survived by her brother, James of Blaine; sisters-in-law, Daphne John of Florence, Oregon, and Jan John of Las Vegas, Nevada; 13 nieces and nephews, 17 grand-nieces and nephews, 15 great-grand nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.
A graveside service will take place at Greenacres Memorial Park on Friday, September 18th at 1:00pm with a memorial service and reception to take place at Sunrise Baptist on Sunday, September 20th at 5:30pm.
Memorials may be made to Sunrise Baptist Church or a charity of your choice.
Graveside Service
- Date & Time: September 18, 2015 (12:00 AM)
- Venue: Greenacres Memorial Park
- Location: 5700 Northwest Drive Ferndale, WA 98248 - (Get Directions)
- Phone Number: (360) -38-4-3401
Memorial Service
- Date & Time: September 20, 2015 (12:00 AM)
- Venue: Sunrise Baptist Church
- Location: 2480 W Badger Rd Custer, WA 98240 - (Get Directions)
8 responses to Sarah LaVoun Hoffman
Debbie Park (Deem) says:
September 6, 2015
My deepest condolences to Mrs. Hoffman’s family. She was always one of my favorite teachers and have fond memories of her and Virgil. Not only was she a great teacher, but a caring person in the community. May God grant you His peace and eternal rest.
Debbie Park (Deem)
Roderic Perry says:
September 6, 2015
Mrs. Hoffman was my fifth grade teacher at Sumas. She was a walking encyclopedia of the Sumas history from the time she and Virgil came to Sumas in 1943. When I was asked to give a history program for the Sumas Library Mrs. Hoffman was the first person that I contacted for information and she freely gave me boxes of materials to use that she had in her “archives”. She allowed her post graduate work to be printed on October 27, 1949 in the 60th Anniversary Edition of The Sumas News which was the most complete history of Sumas to be compiled to that date. With her permission I made a copy of it and presented to the Sumas Library so everyone can read and enjoy it. She was a great teacher to the very end of her life and I will miss her. May the family find peace in the days ahead.
Shirley Fuller Nielsen says:
September 6, 2015
Mrs Hoffman has always been one of my most favorite teachers. I was in sixth grade at the old Sumas Grade School 1945-1946. We kept in touch throughout the years and she was always interested in our lives. She and Virgil made a definite positive impact in many, many student’s lives.
Patty Kuntz says:
September 6, 2015
LaVoun (I never knew her first name was Sarah!) and Virgil were great supporters of my parents, Stan and Dorothy Kuntz, when Dad was pastor at the Sumas Methodist Church in the 60’s. LaVoun was choir director, Sunday School teacher and provided piano lessons for me and my brother Steve. I still have the “John Thompson Modern Course for the Piano” books she gave me. I also remember snapping beans, shelling peas, shucking corn and much more that all came from their amazing garden, and their generosity when our family didn’t have much. Rest in peace, LaVoun – you lived an amazing life!
Nalda Callicoat says:
September 6, 2015
I am so glad we had the opportunity to meet at least once and sorry we never got together again. I miss her letters in the “Round Robin” letters we shared for a while.
My condolences to the family for the loss of a lovely lady.
Nalda Callicoat ( cousin)