James K. Hoffmeister, 94, died peacefully December 4, 2025 surrounded by family, in Boulder Colorado.
He was born in Fort Collins, June 23, 1931, to Carleton Hoffmeister and Evelyn Seubert Hoffmeister. Raised in Rifle and Greeley, Jim graduated from Greeley HS and attended Monmouth College in Illinois. Here he received a BS in Chemistry and met his lifelong partner and love, Marcia Irene Kern.
After college he was drafted (1953) and served two years as a lab technician with the Army Clearing House in Landstuhl Germany. Following military service he and Marcia were married in 1956. They eventually settled in Boulder and Jim entered the University of Colorado's graduate program in Psychology, where he earned an
MA and PhD in social psychology, specializing in testing and measurement. During his graduate studies, Jim created the University's first Course Evaluation Questionnaire and wrote a statistical software package.
After graduation, he and Marcia formed Test Analysis and Development Corporation, a consulting business focused on evaluating social programs. Later in the 80s, he developed Governmental Fund Accounting software for small school districts in Wyoming and Colorado. Many days were spent on the road serving those school districts.
Jim drew great satisfaction working with his hands, and in the mid-70s they purchased several acres in east Boulder County and built a house. Friends and family participated, and many wall-raisings included a coffee-and-cookie break. The property was their home for 45 years, and provided space for a big garden, many trees, and gatherings on the patio that often ended with cranking ice cream. One of his proudest accomplishments was installation of solar panels in 2011. In later years geese frequently landed in the back pasture, and Jim enjoyed spreading corn for them.
Jim loved discussions involving philosophy, psychology, and religion (reflecting his three years at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, NY). He also loved hiking, picnicking, and cutting firewood in the mountains, listening to Bach on a Sunday morning, and relaxing with extended family at Farm Lake in
Minnesota and Stone Manor in Wisconsin.
Jim is survived by his wife of 69 years (Marcia), son David Hoffmeister (Chris) Cheyenne, WY, daughter Susan Weiler (Jim) Golden, CO and grandsons John and Zach. He was preceded in death by his younger brother, Bob, and is survived by three step-brothers, Carleton, David, and Charles.
Jim did not want a service and asked that his family scatter his ashes in the mountains. If you knew Jim and would like to honor his memory, take a moment to notice the rising or setting moon, or the flight of geese overhead. Whistle a tune, sing a song, listen to classical music or the bugling of elk. Enjoy the satisfaction of breaking a sweat—whether splitting firewood or hiking up a mountain. Savor a freshly picked peach, a perfectly hot mocha, share your french fries with a loved one. Tell the people in your life that you love them. This would make him happy.
Any memorial donations can be made to: Community Food Share, 650 S. Taylor Ave., Louisville CO 80027.
He was born in Fort Collins, June 23, 1931, to Carleton Hoffmeister and Evelyn Seubert Hoffmeister. Raised in Rifle and Greeley, Jim graduated from Greeley HS and attended Monmouth College in Illinois. Here he received a BS in Chemistry and met his lifelong partner and love, Marcia Irene Kern.
After college he was drafted (1953) and served two years as a lab technician with the Army Clearing House in Landstuhl Germany. Following military service he and Marcia were married in 1956. They eventually settled in Boulder and Jim entered the University of Colorado's graduate program in Psychology, where he earned an
MA and PhD in social psychology, specializing in testing and measurement. During his graduate studies, Jim created the University's first Course Evaluation Questionnaire and wrote a statistical software package.
After graduation, he and Marcia formed Test Analysis and Development Corporation, a consulting business focused on evaluating social programs. Later in the 80s, he developed Governmental Fund Accounting software for small school districts in Wyoming and Colorado. Many days were spent on the road serving those school districts.
Jim drew great satisfaction working with his hands, and in the mid-70s they purchased several acres in east Boulder County and built a house. Friends and family participated, and many wall-raisings included a coffee-and-cookie break. The property was their home for 45 years, and provided space for a big garden, many trees, and gatherings on the patio that often ended with cranking ice cream. One of his proudest accomplishments was installation of solar panels in 2011. In later years geese frequently landed in the back pasture, and Jim enjoyed spreading corn for them.
Jim loved discussions involving philosophy, psychology, and religion (reflecting his three years at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, NY). He also loved hiking, picnicking, and cutting firewood in the mountains, listening to Bach on a Sunday morning, and relaxing with extended family at Farm Lake in
Minnesota and Stone Manor in Wisconsin.
Jim is survived by his wife of 69 years (Marcia), son David Hoffmeister (Chris) Cheyenne, WY, daughter Susan Weiler (Jim) Golden, CO and grandsons John and Zach. He was preceded in death by his younger brother, Bob, and is survived by three step-brothers, Carleton, David, and Charles.
Jim did not want a service and asked that his family scatter his ashes in the mountains. If you knew Jim and would like to honor his memory, take a moment to notice the rising or setting moon, or the flight of geese overhead. Whistle a tune, sing a song, listen to classical music or the bugling of elk. Enjoy the satisfaction of breaking a sweat—whether splitting firewood or hiking up a mountain. Savor a freshly picked peach, a perfectly hot mocha, share your french fries with a loved one. Tell the people in your life that you love them. This would make him happy.
Any memorial donations can be made to: Community Food Share, 650 S. Taylor Ave., Louisville CO 80027.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James Hoffmeister, please visit our flower store.
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