Gerald F. Hoffman

HOFFMAN, Gerald F. Gerald F. Hoffman, 71, a lifelong resident of the village of Broad Brook in East Windsor, passed away at Hartford Hospital surrounded at his bedside by his loved ones on Saturday, (November 18, 2006) after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was born in Broad Brook on 7/14/35 and is the 3rd son of the late Andrew Sr. and Margaret (Flaherty) Hoffman. Gerald served his country with the Connecticut Air National Guard in Granby and retired as Fire Chief after 38 years of service. He was also a retired Fire Chief of the Broad Brook Volunteer Fire Department and one of his many accomplishments was his involvement and initiation of the Junior Fire Division in 1971. He was also instrumental in the activities leading up to the building of the Fire Safety Complex which houses the Broad Brook Fire Department and Senior Center. Gerald was instrumental in the drafting and presentation of the Bill before the Connecticut Legislature for the planning and building of the present-day Connecticut Fire Academy at Bradley International Airport. He served as an instructor of aircraft rescue and firefighter courses, as well as coordinator of military training. He was a parishioner of St. Catherine Church, Broad Brook; a member of the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association; and the Liedertafel Singing Society (German Club); and the Connecticut Air National Guard Non-Commissioned Officers Club "The Zebra Club, Inc." In his younger years, he was involved in church minstrels, serving as "end" man. He worked with Father Joseph Rice with the renovations of the church basement in the early 1950's. Also, as a young boy, he and his Uncle Bill Flaherty planted a victory garden. He was also an outstanding athlete on the Ellsworth High School Track Team, holding a record for the hundred yard dash in 1952. Gerald's greatest joy was time spent with Germaine (Allard) Hoffman, his beloved wife of 34 years and his 5 children, daughters Amy (Hoffman) and her husband Dan Pinder of Palm City, FL; Denise (Long) and her husband Lawrence Woodward of Mansfield; sons Douglas and his wife Nancy (Daniele) Hoffman of Enfield; Brian and his wife Wendy (Terry) Long of Windsor Locks; and Steven and his wife Christina (Haverstick) Long of Broad Brook; and his 12 grandchildren: Nicole (Pinder) and her husband Nicolas Cyr of Cape Coral, FL; Jenny Pinder of Miami, FL, John Pinder of Palm City, FL; Courtney Hoffman and Kristen Hoffman of Enfield; Jamie Long, Joseph Long and Justina Long of Broad Brook; Michael Long, Austin Long and Alexis Long of Windsor Locks, and predeceased by granddaughter Caitlyn Long. Gerald is also survived by brothers, Andrew Jr. and his wife Patricia (Sherburne) Hoffman and Barry Hoffman, and sister, Margaret C. Hoffman, all of Broad Brook. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother and a good and faithful friend to many. He loved his restful trips to Brookline Vermont, fly fishing, carpentry, gardening and bird watching. His family wishes to thank all his caregivers at Windsor Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, especially Dr. Peter Schauer of the Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center in Hartford, for outstanding care. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday Nov. 22, at 11 a.m. in St. Catherine Church, Broad Brook. The family asks everyone to go directly to church. There are no visiting hours. Burial will follow in St. Catherine Cemetery with military honors. Family will receive relatives and friends at a reception following the committal service at the Liedertafel Singing Society (German Club) 75 Depot Street, Broad Brook. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Gerald's honor may be made to either, Broad Brook Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 328, Broad Brook or St. Catherine Church P.O. Box 359, Broad Brook CT 06016. The Bassinger & Dowd Funeral Home, 37 Gardner St., East Windsor has care of arrangements. To share a memory of Gerald or to extend condolences to the family please visit the online guestbook at Courant.com.