| Notes |
- BIOGRAPHY:
http://www.genealogy.com/users/c/h/r/David-Alan-Christianson/FILE/0004text.txt
EDWIN AND BERTHA HOFF Back row, left to right: Kathy, Sharon, Bonnie and Gary. Front row: Bertha, Gail and Edwin Hoff. Edwin F. Hoff, the son of Fred and Katharina Neuharth Hoff was born November 3, 1917 and lived his first 24 years on the family farm six miles west and one and one-half miles south of Eureka, South Dakota. He attended the neighborhood one room country school house, Hoff No. 44, for eight years. A high school education was desirable, but not practical during the depression years, so Edwin worked for his father on the family farm except for two summers which he spent working on farms in North Dakota and Minnesota when crops failed in the Eureka area. Bertha Hoff, daughter of John and Johanna Knoepfle Kirschenmann of Artas was also raised on a farm and was no stranger to hard work. Her father, John, settled in the Artas area as an 18 year old immigrant from Odessa in South Russia. Bertha received her eighth grade education from the Postal Country School south of Artas. Although she dreamed of being a nurse, the economic conditions of the 1930's prevented her from fulfilling that dream, instead she worked on her family farm and cooked for threshers as well as caring for her ailing mother. Other jobs included serving as a housekeeper and nanny for a wealthy family in Michigan and several winters were spent working at the Eureka Lutheran Home. Bertha's half-brother, Art Schweigert and wife, Martha, farmed one-fourth mile from Edwin's family farm. It was through the Schweigert's that Edwin and Bertha first met. They were married in Artas, South Dakota E.U.B. Church on a cold wintry night on December 3, 1944. The Schweigert farm was then acquired by Edwin and Bertha where they have lived all their married life. Today Edwin is semi-retired, but is still very energetically engaged in farming with his son Gary and wife, Joan. Gary and his family reside in the remodeled two-story house that Edwin was raised in. Besides cows, hogs, horses, chickens and turkeys, Edwin and Bertha also have had the joy of raising five healthy children. Their eldest daughter, Sharon, is married to Wade Winters and lives in Urbandale, Iowa where they are employed as high school teachers. Sharon teaches German and Spanish and is the mother of two children, Christy and Wade Lee Bonnie is married to Don Austin and lives in West Des Moines, Iowa just a few miles from sister Sharon. Don is an attorney and banker and Bonnie is a retired high school teacher and mother of five children, Marc, Michelle, Monae, Michael and Matthew. Gary returned to the farm after graduating from Westmar College and serving in the U. S. Air Force for four years. His wife, Joan, is a beautician and is employed at Meda's Beauty Salon. Their children are Sarae and Seth. Gary also, occasionally serves as an x-ray technician at the Eureka Community Hospital. Kathy has her Masters Degree in Physical Education and is married to Rev. David Glader. After serving several churches in South Dakota, Indianapolis, Indiana and Ontario, Canada, the couple is involved in church planting in Rapid City, South Dakota. They have two children, Rachel and Paul. The Hoff's youngest daughter, Gail, has her Master's Degree in Home Economics and is living on a dairy farm near Hoven, South Dakota with her husband, Dale Duenwald. They are the parents of three children, Michael, Jonathan and Mandy. FRED J. AND KATHARINA HOFF Katherina and Fred J. Hoff holding great granddaughter Neala Singer, 6 months old. Fred J. was born December 5, 1888, to Johan Hoff and Rosina, nee Heiser, Hoff in a sod house in rural Campbell County. Fred attended the rural school, had an eager interest in good health, and had dreams of becoming a medical doctor. However, the lack of a cash income kept him from fulfilling the dream of his youth. Katharina was born February 10, 1888 to George G. Neuharth and Christina, nee Goehring, in McPherson County. Being the second eldest, of fourteen children, she did not have the privilege of attending an English school--for she was needed at home. Her education was in the German language provided by her home and church. (Her father was a Sunday school teacher and church organist for many years.) Both the Neuharth and Hoff families were of German descent who had come to America from Kassel, South Russia, in 1874. On September 28, 1912 Fred and Katie were married at Eureka, and were lifelong members of the Eureka Reformed Church. They farmed eight miles southwest of Eureka. Fred owned a threshing machine. He and his crew threshed for many area farmers. He found pleasure in nature, such as planting fruit trees and watching them develop, and raising a vegetable garden. He also enjoyed playing his harmonica. Katie was a creative homemaker, who enjoyed raising flowers, crocheting, handiwork and reading. She also was the German teacher in the family. A heritage which her children are ever grateful for. Ten children were born to this union, five sons and five daughters. The six living today are: Esther, born January 15, 1915, married to Edward Lindemann, rural Mound City; Edwin F., born November 3, 1917, married to Bertha Kirschenmann, rural Eureka; Violet E., born July 8, 1922, married to Reinhold Lindemann, Eureka; Leah, born October 6, 1928, married to John Pfahl, Papillon, Nebraska; Gideon, born July 18, 1931, married to Priscilla Docktor, Lodi, California; Benjamin, born March 9, 1935, married to Loretta Docktor, Medford, Oregon. The four deceased are: Ella, born February 23, 1914; the late Mrs. R. Lindemann, died August 1974; Hulda, born February 16, 1916, the late Mrs. Walter Beck; Gottfried, born September 1920; and Alvin born January 4, 1925. The Hoffs were privileged to celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary on October 29, 1962. They both have passed away, leaving 23 grandchildren and 51 great grandchildren.
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1917 - 2003 (85 years)
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