Barbara Diane Hoffer

Barbara Diane Hoffer passed away in her sleep on December 18, 2022 at the age of 92. She was born in Oxnard, California on October 11, 1930 to Leon and Alice Solomon (née Barrin), and with her older brother, Jerry, they moved to San Diego in the late '30s. She lived in Coronado for the past forty years. Barbara grew up loving people, humor, literature, theater, temple youth events, music, poetry, and journalism. These passions remained with her through her life as she refined her abilities and skills in her career as a school psychologist, teacher, and mental health counselor.

Barbara led her high school newspaper as editor-in-chief at Hoover High and graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Psychology. After UCLA and her travels to Europe, she met and married Harold Hoffer, an engineer from the U.S. Naval Academy, who had served as a captain in WW II. While raising her two sons and working for the San Diego City Schools as a professional psychologist and teacher, she earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from U.S.I.U. in the '70s.

She counseled students and taught classes on relationships and sex education. Many still praise her refreshingly modern discourse on the new era of feminine roles of leadership, love, and responsibility. In her private practice, she guided her patients to fulfill goals with assertiveness, while managing her own enthusiasm for See's chocolates, tennis, and Coronado water aerobics. One friend aptly said, "just know a legend has passed."

Some save the best for last. In her early eighties, Barbara met Leonard Hirsch of Coronado, her most loving sweetheart ever. He impressed her as a leading light in his community and an avid participant in vital social causes. They shared trips to Israel and beautiful destinations. Barbara devoted herself to him as he openly shared his charm, love, levity, friendship, common interests, and core values. She was able to appreciate his ardent care for her through her recent decline with dementia.

Barbara is survived by her romantic partner and friend, Lenny Hirsch; her eldest son, Dr. Rick Hoffer and his wife Anne Gordon of Hanover, NH, and her grandchildren Lara and Benjamin Hoffer; her youngest son, Steven Hoffer and Linda Nero, of Mill Valley, CA; as well as by her closest cousins Larry and Evie Solomon of La Jolla, CA, their daughters Wendy and Leslie and their families. Barbara loved life to the end, and she was a happy, kind, and warmly proactive mother, grandmother, spouse, mate, confidante, teacher, and friend to all, including Israel. She often advised, "take care of each other." May her memory be a blessing to all.