Raymond F. Hoffman

Raymond F. Hoffman Mar. 6, 1927 - Jan. 28, 2015 GRANGER - Raymond F. Hoffman died Wednesday, January 28, 2015, in Conroe, Texas, at the age of 87 years old, in his home, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, M. Edith Petriella Hoffman, his son Daniel J. Hoffman and his wife, Cheryl of The Woodlands, Texas, his daughter Gina M. Hoffman of Conroe, Texas, his daughter, Cynthia A. Moore and her husband, Ed of Magnolia, Texas, his three grandchildren, Samuel E. Moore, Elizabeth A. Moore, and Mary K. Moore, and his sisters Betty Dunuck of Niles, Michigan and Lois Brewer of Stokesdale, North Carolina. Raymond, or "Whitey", as he was known to his family and friends since childhood, because of his platinum blonde hair, was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1927. As a young man, he moved to the South Bend/Mishawaka area, settled in Granger, Indiana, and retired to Conroe, Texas to be near his children. Whitey was a veteran, served with the Navy on a minesweeper in US waters, and was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946 as a seaman second class. Whitey would work nearly any job to get ahead. He delivered papers, worked every job in his friend and later brother in law, Eugene Zimmer's family restaurant, dug basements by hand, did odd plumbing and construction jobs, and even worked at Bendix as a pipe fitter. But mainly Whitey was an entrepreneur. He was a joint owner of Hoffman Plumbing of Mishawaka, Indiana with his father Raymond Hoffman and brother Eugene Hoffman, of the Seven Eleven Bar in Elkhart, Indiana, with his brother in law Anthony Cappelletti, and of A & R Septic Tank Company in Mishawaka, Indiana with his brother in law, Arthur Osowski. At the Seven Eleven Bar he became somewhat of a legend beating all comers at arm wrestling and checkers. However, he spent most of his life founding, growing and running Hoffman Plumbing and Heating in Granger, Indiana, until he bought out his partner and good friend Charles Sticker's interest in J & B Products, of South Bend, Indiana, a tubular plastics manufacturer. He later sold J & B to Bristol Products, and he subsequently retired. He also successfully invested in real estate and oil and gas, the latter with close friend and fishing buddy Ray Ardeel's son, Mike. Whitey was an accomplished plumber, and was a member of and served as president of the Indiana Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association, and served on national plumbing licensing and code committees. He pushed through the licensing statute for Indiana plumbers, his license was the first issued in Indiana (#1), and he served as Indiana State Plumbing Commissioner for over 10 years, and for his service was awarded by Governor Bowen the Sagamore of the Wabash, the highest honor which the Governor of the State of Indiana can bestow, and a personal tribute to the those who rendered distinguished service to the state or the governor. Whitey was a devoted family man. He always made time to appear at his children's and grandchildren's academic and sporting events, continued to take his family on family vacations, even after retirement, and aided his children in becoming entrepreneurs. Whitely also loved fishing and flying. He loved fly fishing for bluegills in various south Michigan lakes, fishing for walleye, pike, lake trout, and graeling in the Great Lakes and in Manitoba and Ontario Canada, and enjoyed all kinds of fishing in the ocean off the coasts of Florida, Texas, Hawaiian, and Costa Rica. He was an accomplished pilot, having earned his private, instrument, commercial, multi-engine, and float plane ratings, and for nearly 30 years, owned his own airplane, Bonanza 35YR, "the" 35th anniversary Beechcraft Bonanza commemorating the 35th anniversary of the V tail. Whitey flew until he lost his medical certificate at 83 years old, when he had to have a pacemaker installed. During his last ten years of flying in Texas, he flew "angel flights" flying patients who could not afford to travel to the Texas Medical Center in Houston from Texas and neighboring states. In Indiana Whitey was a member of and supported the Kiwanis and Elks Club. Whitey dug the first dugouts for the little league in Mishawaka and supported St. Pius Church in Granger and a number of other charities. After surviving prostate and throat cancer, Whitey finally died after a 3½month fight with bladder cancer which had metastasized into his lungs and lymph glands. His funeral will be held at Forest Park The Woodlands, at 18000 I-45 Service Road, The Woodlands, Texas 77384 936-321-5115. There will be visitation at 11:00 am, followed by a service at 1:00 pm, followed by a reception at his home. In lieu of flowers Whitey would appreciate tax deductible donations be sent to Angel Flight (see angelflight.com).