Harold Peter Hoffman
With profound sadness we are announcing the passing of Harold Peter Hoffman, known to his friends as Peter. He passed away on October 5, 2019 in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Born in Albany, New York, on December 30, 1925 to Peter and Eva Hoffman. During his childhood, he lived in Selkirk, NY. Peter loved telling stories about his vibrant mother and his two older sisters, Gert and Betty. During his long-life Peter witnessed incredible world events. He served in the Navy Air Corps during WW2 as an aerial gunner over Japan and Hawaii. Prior to the war, he had met and later married his high school sweetheart and wife of 62 years, Doris Ann Wiltsie and together they moved to Kingston, New York. There, he was blessed to have a good job as an electrical engineer with IBM Kingston that he absolutely loved, watching computers transform from filling entire rooms to sitting on desk tops. An avid hunter, sportsman and trusted community member, Peter, trained each of his Weimaraners himself, bowled, golfed, played tennis, even joined a soccer team, and served on the Kingston Board of Education (1969-1975). He traveled all over the world: Japan, Europe, reunited with cousins in Germany, and took his family on adventures across the United States. After transferring to IBM in San Jose, Peter and Doris build a dream home in Morgan Hill, California. He retired from IBM in 1990. He was the beloved father of Holly (Hoffman) Zedlar, whom he tirelessly taught math, and Michael Hoffman, whom he coached to become a star quarterback. Tragically, Michael died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident in January 1969, just before he was to have attended North Carolina State University on a full football scholarship. A life-long learner, Peter began playing the Vibes at 62. He joined the Rio Vista Trilogy Community in 2002, where, in his seventies, he taught himself to play the drums and joined an 18-piece Big Band. Peter lived a rich-life for 93-years, filled with family, good-neighbors, friends, travel, music and dancing. In his later years, he met Carolann Frazer, with whom he built a relationship and a home in Hawaii. He is survived by his loving-daughter Holly Zedlar; nephews Peter Holcomb and Gary Bogardus; cousins Byron Hoffman and Virginia Hill and her son, Paul; and his long-time companion, Carolann Frazer. He is predeceased by his devoted wife Doris in 2009 and his 17-year-old son, Michael (1969). After Doris’s death, he authored a memoir about their lives: The Wink of an Eye. KINGSTON, NY: A celebration of Peter’s life, officiated by Rev. Kendra Van Houten, will begin 2:30 pm, Thursday, November 14th, 2019 graveside at Wiltwyck Rural Cemetery; GPS:184 W O'Reilly St, Kingston, NY 12401. Burial with military honors by Joyce-Schirick VFW Post 1386 Honor Guard will follow. CALIFORNIA: A memorial service will be held Sunday, November 24th at 2:00 pm at the Veterans Memorial Building, 610 Saint Francis Way Rio Vista, CA. Please call: (707) 737-6554 with any questions. Arrangements are under the care of the Gilpatric-VanVliet Funeral Home, 339 Broadway, Ulster Park, Town of Esopus, NY.Obituary
With profound sadness we are announcing the passing of Harold Peter Hoffman, known to his friends as Peter. He passed away on October 5, 2019 in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Born in Albany, New York, on December 30, 1925 to Peter and Eva Hoffman. During his childhood, he lived in Selkirk, NY. Peter loved telling stories about his vibrant mother and his two older sisters, Gert and Betty. During his long-life Peter witnessed incredible world events. He served in the Navy Air Corps during WW2 as an aerial gunner over Japan and Hawaii. Prior to the war, he had met and later married his high school sweetheart and wife of 62 years, Doris Ann Wiltsie and together they moved to Kingston, New York. There, he was blessed to have a good job as an electrical engineer with IBM Kingston that he absolutely loved, watching computers transform from filling entire rooms to sitting on desk tops. An avid hunter, sportsman and trusted community member, Peter, trained each of his Weimaraners himself, bowled, golfed, played tennis, even joined a soccer team, and served on the Kingston Board of Education (1969-1975). He traveled all over the world: Japan, Europe, reunited with cousins in Germany, and took his family on adventures across the United States. After transferring to IBM in San Jose, Peter and Doris build a dream home in Morgan Hill, California. He retired from IBM in 1990. He was the beloved father of Holly (Hoffman) Zedlar, whom he tirelessly taught math, and Michael Hoffman, whom he coached to become a star quarterback. Tragically, Michael died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident in January 1969, just before he was to have attended North Carolina State University on a full football scholarship. A life-long learner, Peter began playing the Vibes at 62. He joined the Rio Vista Trilogy Community in 2002, where, in his seventies, he taught himself to play the drums and joined an 18-piece Big Band. Peter lived a rich-life for 93-years, filled with family, good-neighbors, friends, travel, music and dancing. In his later years, he met Carolann Frazer, with whom he built a relationship and a home in Hawaii. He is survived by his loving-daughter Holly Zedlar; nephews Peter Holcomb and Gary Bogardus; cousins Byron Hoffman and Virginia Hill and her son, Paul; and his long-time companion, Carolann Frazer. He is predeceased by his devoted wife Doris in 2009 and his 17-year-old son, Michael (1969). After Doris’s death, he authored a memoir about their lives: The Wink of an Eye. KINGSTON, NY: A celebration of Peter’s life, officiated by Rev. Kendra Van Houten, will begin 2:30 pm, Thursday, November 14th, 2019 graveside at Wiltwyck Rural Cemetery; GPS:184 W O'Reilly St, Kingston, NY 12401. Burial with military honors by Joyce-Schirick VFW Post 1386 Honor Guard will follow. CALIFORNIA: A memorial service will be held Sunday, November 24th at 2:00 pm at the Veterans Memorial Building, 610 Saint Francis Way Rio Vista, CA. Please call: (707) 737-6554 with any questions. Arrangements are under the care of the Gilpatric-VanVliet Funeral Home, 339 Broadway, Ulster Park, Town of Esopus, NY.
Events
02:30 PM
Kingston, NY 12401