Albert A. Hoffman, Jr. 87, passed away on March 19, 2015 at Resurrection Hospital in Chicago, IL. He was born on March 2, 1928 in Chicago, IL, to Albert A. Hoffman, Sr. and mother Marie C. Hoffman, nee Cremer. Albert (Bert) grew up in Chicago, IL. After graduating from Loyola Academy in Chicago in 1945, he attended Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and did graduate work at Berkeley, CA and at Purdue University, where he received a Master's degree in engineering. Bert taught at St. Louis University for several years. He worked for Bethlehem Steel in the technical sales department. Upon retirement, he taught religious courses at Gordon Tech. Bert was a structural engineer, a professional engineer in the state of California, and a teacher of secular and religious courses throughout his life. He was a gifted coach, particularly in the North side softball leagues and in the women's and men's volleyball leagues. Bert was a philanthropist and his chief charitable cause was funding many high school students' education. He enjoyed bridge and was a masters level player. Bert is survived by his brother, Jim (Ann) Hoffman, Washington DC; his nephews, James P. (Patricia) and Paul M. (Terri); great nephews, Michael and John and great nieces, Alexandria and Katlyn; and other relatives. Bert was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Rev. John C., S.J. and his sister, Mary Frances. Visitation Monday, March 23rd, 9:30 a.m. until time of Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. at St. Timothy Church, 6326 N. Washtenaw Ave., Chicago. Interment St. Boniface Cemetery, 4901 N. Clark St., Chicago. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Albert A. Hoffman '45 and Rev. John C. Hoffman, S.J. '48 Scholarship Endowment, Loyola Academy, 1100 Laramie Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091-1089. Info., 773-736-3833 or visit Bert's memorial at www.smithcorcoran.com.

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Published by Chicago Tribune Media Group Publication from Mar. 20 to Mar. 22, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for Albert Hoffman

9 Entries

Martin Lane

March 14, 2019

Bert was a very good and generous guy! He would come to visit me at my office at Loyola U. and we would have good chats, like about when he was a teacher of Theology at Gordon Tech High School, which he enjoyed. A very kind man! May he rest in peace with the Lord in heaven!

Robert Peterson

December 25, 2015

i Know it is late for writing aboout my life with Bert, but I only learned of his passing today, going on the computer and finding his obituary in the Chicago Tribune. I think you may be interested in some of my comments about all the years Bert and I spent together.

I first met Bert playing baseball at Winnemac park on Amundsen high School campus. Eventually we played on a semi pro baseball team that played all over Chicagoland. When Bert went to IIT, I followed him there. I actually followed my brother Paul who waas in the same year as Bert at IIT. I went into arcitecture so we didn't go to any classes together, but we both played varsity basketball and baseball for the two years he had left at IIT. During that time we would get together with my brother Paul and Jim Bobzin for our monthly bridge games, which Bert took very seriously. During that time, I married Ruth,with Bert serving as an usher in our wedding party.

We parted for a few years and then I got a call from Bert saying Bethlehem Steel wanted another sales engineer in Chicago, and the idea of hiring an architect appealed to their management. Through Bert I was hired and we spent five years together working side by side and never having an argument. One of my unknowwn jobs was to limit Bert to two drinks at any social function Behtlehem sent us to, since Bert got a little wild after those two drinks. During those years Mary died which hit Bert very hard. I was honored to be a pall bearer at Mary's funeral. Mary was always around when we played our monthly bridge game at Bert's house. Everybody loved Mary, so her passing was a blow to Paul, Jim and I.

After my five years at Bethlehem, I left to open my office of architecture in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Bert would come up to stay with us for a while, every Summer for ten years, after which I moved my family to Morganton, North Carolina. Bert even came to visit us in North Carolina on a regular basis, even serving in the wedding party of my youngest son Matthew.

After Bert moved into his Peterson AVENUE ADDRESS, HE DIDN'T COME TO SEE US ANYMORE. WE JUST EXCHANGED LONG LETTERS AND CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR YEARS. HIS EFFORTS TO HAVE RUTH AND I CHANGE FROM OUR LUTHERAN RELIGION TO BE CATHOLICS FAILED, BUT HE NEVER STOPPED TRYING.
His Christmas cards stopped about 3 or 4 years ago; ours continued to be sent. We never stopped thinking about Bert, his brilliant mind, his crazy sense of humor and above all his friendship for 45 years. I still miss him very much.

I apologize for being so late in writing and in mentioning my name so much, but I thought you would be interested in a part of Bert's life that you may not have been aware of.

Best Regards: Bob & Ruth Peterson
[email protected]

Thomas Ungaro

March 29, 2015

As our lives go by, now and then a place or a situation is brought up. You are instantly taken back to it in your mind. It's not often a person could be the WHY you were there. Albert "Bert" Hoffman was the WHY in so many of our lives. He's as memorable as the teammates and the rivals, the victories and the losses, and the start of the season. They were more than just practices, they were life lessons. He was a great mentor to all. With deepest sympathy.

Heidi Lang

March 23, 2015

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Bert was a very generous man who gave up his time to teach us volleyball at St Tim's. He was a great coach and he will be missed. Below is a quote that I hope will bring you comfort.

"What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes part of us." -Helen Keller

Marty Lane

March 23, 2015

Bert was a very fine and generous man. He funded many generous scholarships at many Catholic high schools in the Chicago area. He was also good to Loyola University. When he lived on Sheridan Road near campus, he would visit me often at the Loyola U. Alumni Center (Yellow House) and we had many good conversations and lunches. God will reward him. He was very proud of his good teaching of Religion at Gordon Tech. Bravo! Marty Lane

Matthew Gawlik

March 23, 2015

Gordon Technical High School Tech Ed. department has many fond memories of Bert's work with his students and colleagues. Bert will be missed but his students and their work goes on to honor him and his teaching. As a teacher colleague, Thank you Bert.

Dick McCarthy

March 22, 2015

We will miss Bert! I always enjoyed Bert's company at CAC events.....lots of happy memories. I will remember him in my prayers. He was a good guy and a guy who you could count on.

Christine Lang

March 22, 2015

Please accept our heartfelt condolences on the loss of Bert. He will forever hold a special place in our hearts. I will also cherish the memories of him coaching us in volleyball and the fun we had going for pizza at DeLeo's.

God bless you during this time.
Christine Lang & Family

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