Charles O. Hoffman

CHARLES O. HOFFMAN

Charles O. Hoffman, age 78, 3 Charles St., Danville, died at 11:02 p. m. Thursday, July 23, 2009, at the Geisinger Medical Center, Danville where he was admitted earlier in the day. He was in failing health since April, 2009.

Born in Derry Township, Montour County on September 20, 1930, he was a son of the late Owen C. and Mary S. (Patterson) Hoffman.

He was a 1948 graduate of Danville High School. Following high school he served with the US Army from 1948 to 1952 with the Army Security agency during the Korean Conflict.

Following his discharge, he worked with the Army Security Agency at Arlington, Va. from 1952 to 1956. He entered the Department of State Foreign Service in 1956 and was posted at various US Embassies and Missions around the world. He traveled as the Regional Communications Electronic Officer serving at Beirut, Lebanon from 1956-1959; London, England from 1959-1964; and Bangkok, Thailand from 1964 to 1968. From 1968 to 1975 he was assigned to the Department of State Office of Communication Engineering Division and from 1975 to 1980 he was assigned to Bonn, Germany. He was assigned to the OC Security Division in Washington, D.C. from 1980 until his retirement in 1981. Following his retirement he returned to Danville in 1982 and began a series of contract arrangements for the Department of State Communication Facilities at several embassies and missions world wide.

Charles was a member of the Washingtonville Lutheran Church; the Danville Moose; Frank Sidler Post, American Legion and the VFW Post, both of Danville.

He was preceded in death by a brother James F. Hoffman on Feb. 1, 1957.

Surviving are his wife, the former Dorothy C. Anderson, with whom he celebrated his 58th wedding anniversary on Jan. 6, 2009; a daughter, Ruth Mary, wife of Edward P. Spohn, Lawrenceville, Ga.; a brother, Donald W. Hoffman, and his wife Jeanne, New Port Ritchey, Fla. and a sister, Helen M. Gerringer, Danville. There are also a number of nieces and nephews, including Janet Hoffman and her husband Gary, Ray and Art Gerringer and Beth Mertz.

Memorial services will be held on Wednesday at 7 p. m. in the Roat-Kriner Funeral Home, 1715 Bloom Rd., Danville, with his pastor, Rev. Melody Sell officiating. Private interment will be in Washingtonville Cemetery.

Memorials in his memory may be sent to Washingtonville Lutheran Church, P. O. 181, Washingtonville, PA 17884.