Obituary of Ralph Eugene Hoffmann

Ralph Eugene Hoffmann, age 86, of The Villages, FL passed away on Saturday, October 6, 2018. He was born in New York City, NY on April 24, 1932 and grew up in Mineola, NY where he graduated from Mineola High School in 1950. Ralph served in the US Marines during the Korean Conflict where he participated at the landing in Inchon and later fought in the battle of the Chosin Reservoir. During this time he was awarded the Purple Heart. He also served 25 years in the US Marine Corp Reserves where he retired as a Master Gunnery Sergeant. During his life he worked as a Sales and Marketing Manager for the Bell System. He was a member of St Timothy Catholic Church. He moved to The Villages from Dunnellon, FL in 2002. He was a member of Chosin Few, Colonel Phillip C. Delong Detachment of the Marine Corp League # 1267 where he served as Chaplain, VFW, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Knights of Columbus and The Villages Honor Guard. Ralph coordinated a team serving at Brothers Keeper Soup Kitchen in Ocala every other Saturday. He was heavily involved in the Helping Hands program that assists families with lodging and travel expenses when visiting loved ones at the VA hospital in Tampa. He created the funding program for the support of Lake Hills School for severely disabled children and was the famous "battery man" in the Marine Corps Leagues Toys for Tots. He is survived by his son Rev. Francis Hoffmann of Darien, CT and daughter Kathleen Hoffmann of Somerset, NJ. A funeral Mass was celebrated for Ralph on October 12 at St. Timothy Church in The Villages, Florida and he was laid to rest at Florida National Cemetery beside his wife Frances E. Hoffmann who passed away on November 8, 2012. A memorial Mass will be celebrated for Mr. Hoffmann on November 10, 2018 at 11 AM at St. John Church, 1986 Post Road, Darien CT 06820. Donations may be made in his memory to Lake Hills School, 909 S. Lakeshore Blvd, Howey-In-The-Hills, FL 34737. Funeral Home: Edward Lawrence Funeral Home 2119 Post Road Darien, CT USA 06820