Allen Juraine Hofer, age 85, of Sun City, Arizona and formerly of Huron and Tea, died Sunday, March 19, 2017 at his home in Sun City, Arizona. His funeral service was held at 1PM, Monday, March 27th at the Kuhler Funeral Home. Burial was in the Bethel Mennonite Church Cemetery, rural Yale.
Allen Juraine Hofer was born September 3, 1931, in Huron to Herman and Susie (Stahl) Hofer. He grew up on a farm near Carpenter, South Dakota and attended country school at the Milford School. He graduated from Yale High School in 1950. Allen put his faith in the Lord and trusted Him as his personal Savior as a young teenager. He was baptized and became a member of the Bethel Mennonite Church.
Allen married LaVonne K. Gross on March 19, 1951, at the Bethel Church Parsonage. They made their home on a farm near Yale, South Dakota for 10 years before moving to Huron, where Allen worked at Armour Packing Plant, Swift Packing Plant, Dakota Pork Packing Plant and the Huron School District before moving to Arizona.
After moving to Huron, they became members of the Bethesda Church where Allen was active in various committees of the church. When Allen and LaVonne moved to Arizona, they became members of Grace Bible Church in Sun City, where he served the Lord in various capacities. In 2006, they moved to Tea, South Dakota and became members of Living Hope Community Church. In 2010, Allen and LaVonne moved back to Arizona and were again members of Grace Bible Church.
Allen loved his family dearly! The nightly family meal around the kitchen table was generously seasoned with love and laughter. Allen always made time for his family by joining in games, sharing stories and leading the daily devotions. He crafted a lifetime of wonderful memories for his wife and children as he guided them on many adventures camping, fishing, and exploring in the beautiful South Dakota outdoors.
So thankful for having shared his life are his wife, LaVonne (Gross) Hofer of Sun City, Arizona; two daughters and their husbands, LaVae and Doug Tschetter of Huron and Sonja and Todd Peters of Omaha, Nebraska; two sons and their wives, Tim and Janice Hofer of Aberdeen and Terry and Lori Hofer of Tea; nine grandchildren, Suzanne and her husband, Seth Bauder, Tommy and his wife, Amy Nickel, Eric and his wife, Rona Peters, Ryan and his wife, Abigail Peters, Mark Peters, BrehEnna Hofer, Daniel Hofer, Darcie and her husband, David Van Ede and Mandie Whitmer; thirteen great-grandchildren, Jordin, Braydon, Wesden, Austin, Daelon, Caiden, Adleigh Dawn, Neil Jacob, Anna Adali, Ella Claire, Logan Todd, Luke Thomas, and Melissa Grace; four brothers and their wives, Norman and Delores Hofer of Carpenter, Bill and Judy Hofer of Northfield, Minnesota, Richard and Carol Hofer of Yale and Bruce and Gayle Hofer of Huron; two sisters, Carol Cypher of Wadena, Minnesota and Charlotte and David Gamber of Emery; brother-in-law, Delano Hofer of Huron; nieces, nephews; and many relatives and friends.
Allen was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Susie (Stahl) Hofer; his grandparents, Jacob A. and Anna Hofer and Jacob J. and Kathrine Stahl; two grandchildren, Melissa Sue Nickel and Dustin Tschetter; one great-grandchild, Cameron Van Ede; two sisters, LaVonne Hintz and Dorothy Hofer; three brothers-in-law, Menno Pullman, Hank Cypher and LeRoy Hintz; one sister-in-law, Delores Pullman, one niece, Sue Ann Hofer; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.