Wallace D. Hoffman

Wallace D. Hoffman 1926 ~ 2008 Wallace was born May 4, 1926 to Lavora and Don Hoffman in Great Falls, Montana. He attended elementary and high school in Great Falls. He enlisted in the Army at age 19 and served in the occupation of Guam as a clerk and M.P. He attended the University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, graduating from the School of Journalism in 1952. While in college he worked for the Missoulian. He worked as night editor for the Idaho Falls Post Register from 1953 until 1957. He married Shirley Chaffin in 1954 in Great Falls where she was teaching school. In 1957 they moved to Salt Lake City where he was employed at the Salt Lake Tribune until his retirement in 1989. At the Tribune he worked in many areas on the staff; on the rim, day city editor, night city editor, wire editor, mentor for interns. The last 16 years of his career he was a writer on the editorial staff. Wally served one year as President of Utah chapter of SDX (Professional Journalist Society). He was a member of the National Conference of Editorial Writers and was instrumental in bringing the annual convention to Salt Lake City. Subsequently, he was given an honorary award as Ambassador of Salt Lake City by the Chamber of Congress. In 1980 He was presented the Forest Service 75th Anniversary Award for his significant contribution to forestry and conservation. He was a member of Utah Westerners. He was an active member of Cottonwood Presbyterian Church, serving six years as an Elder and one year as representative to the Presbytery. He was an avid supporter of Boy Scouts and the camping program of Troop 340 at Cottonwood. With his family he spent many years in their tent trailer camping throughout the West and Canada. He liked to work in his shop doing rough carpentry and repairs around his home. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. Wallace enjoyed hunting, skiing, was an avid reader and he loved spending hours in the western Utah desert traveling the historic trails after he retired. He is survived by his wife and two children, three grandsons; Paul, (Stephanie), Ryan in Boise, ID; Barbara Lingle, Charles and Jacob in Sandy, UT; sister Evelyn (Edward) Nelson; nephews and nieces Mark, Ruth Paul and Jean. Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 4 p.m. at the Cottonwood Presbyterian Church, 1580 East Vine Street. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Tourette Syndrome Association via their website at www.tsa-usa.org or 1-718-224-2999.