Sandy Hofmann

So many lives touched, so much love, so much caring and compassion and so much fun. In her 81 years Sandy Hofmann brought so much to the world that cries out to be celebrated and can never be replaced.

Her greatest gifts were her four children who were at her side when she was freed on Feb. 15, 2024. No one ever loved harder than Sandy or was more deeply loved in return. Amazing wife, mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, daughter, mentor and friend, she lived a life richly shared, without a word of self-pity or complaint.

Sandy’s passion was kids. They included the many wonderful children she welcomed here from Laos along with their parents, and countless students who are now living productive lives thanks in no small part to her sending them on their way during her decades as an English as a Second Language teacher. These were her second family.

Sandy was born on Aug. 19, 1942 with a permanent love of learning. She was one of six siblings who took full advantage of each other’s company while exploring the woods and water around the family cottage in southwest Michigan. It was her nature to watch and listen and read and read and read. She held three college degrees, and if you spent any time with her, you came away happier and smarter.

And if you were even a wee bit Irish, you would never run out of things to talk about. Summer after summer, she crossed the ocean to attend classes so that she could teach the Irish language. The culture, the character, the history, the literature, the music were all a crucial part of who she was. Especially the music. Lord, Sandy loved to dance.

She is survived by Dale Hofmann, her incredibly grateful husband of almost sixty years, her daughter Tara (Dan) Serebin, daughter Dana Hofmann (Jonathan Kern), son Kyle Hofmann (Perry Moriearty), and daughter Maren Hofmann-Larsen (John Larsen), her grandchildren Zachary and Molly Serebin, Mia and Rowan Hofmann, Finn, Cormac and Eisa Hofmann-Geye, and Desmond, Declan and Pearce Hofmann-Larsen, siblings Karen Jensen (Robert Christopherson), Linda Read, Mike Read (Sharon Crandell) and Pat Read and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her father Harry C. Read, mother E. Virginia Read and brother Harry Cyril Read.

A celebration of Sandy’s life will be held on Saturday, February 24, at Hubbard Park Lodge, 3565 North Morris Boulevard, Shorewood, WI 53211, with visitation from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and a service commencing at 4:30 p.m.  Reception to follow until 7 p.m. at the Hubbard Park Lodge.

Come say good-bye. She’ll love it.

Memorials will be used to establish a scholarship fund in Sandy’s name.