Lars R. Hoidal

Lars R. Hoidal

AGE: 86 • Stafford, formerly of Wilmington

Lars Ronald "Ron" Hoidal, 86, of Stafford County, VA (formerly of Wilmington, DE, Palm Harbor, FL, Williamsburg, VA, and Elizabeth City, NC), passed away on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at Mary Washington Hospital.

Survivors include sons Charles Hoidal, M.D. (Carolyn), Christopher Hoidal (Christine) and daughter Maria Hoidal (Omar); grandchildren Kyle (Mallory), Natalie, Samuel, Antonia, and Lauren; great-granddaughter Harper; nieces Catherine (Mark), Cecilia, Claudia, and Luciana; nephew, Richard; and great-nieces Lindsay and Ashley. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Otilia; brother Richard C. Hoidal; and parents Helen and Lars K. Hoidal.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Hoidal moved around the U.S. due to his father's work with the US government. He entered the University of Delaware at age 16, graduating with the class of '51 with a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology. Upon graduation, he served in the US Army as an artillery officer during the Korean War. After Korea, he served in the US Army Reserves as an artillery instructor at the US Army Reserve Officer's School and on the US Army Reserve Shooting Team, amongst other duties. While in the Reserves Mr. Hoidal worked as a chemist for Merck Pharmaceuticals in Philadelphia, PA, where he met his wife, Otilia, who worked on the development of the Salk polio vaccine. He later worked as a research and development chemist for E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co. in Wilmington, DE until his retirement. He retired with the rank of Lt. Colonel and was later re-activated during Operation Desert Storm.

Mr. Hoidal was a man of varied interests. He had an incessant thirst for knowledge, a sense of adventure, and a penchant for practical jokes. His passions included skiing, sailing his 30-ft. sailboat, traveling the world with his wife and family, spontaneous road-trips, snorkeling, attending numerous sporting events of his children and grandkids, cycling with daughter Maria, and riding roller-coasters all day with his granddaughter, Lauren. He was a family man and patriot known for valuing honor, integrity, loyalty, perseverance, generosity, and kindness. He doted on his wife, children, and grandchildren. Mr. Hoidal was a founding sponsor and charter member of the 1814 Society, actively promoting support of the National Museum of the US Army at Ft. Belvoir to honor soldiers and Army veterans, and to preserve US Army history.

A service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 7 at Aquia Episcopal Church, Stafford. Interment will follow at 1 p.m. at Quantico National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, P.O.Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014 (michaeljfox.org) or The National Museum of the US Army, 2425 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, Virginia 22201 (armyhistory.org)

Online guestbook is available at covenantfuneralser vice.com.