Alma Hofer, age 93, of Huron, died Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at Avera Brady Health and Rehab in Mitchell under hospice care. Her funeral service was held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, April 8th, at Bethesda Church in Huron. Burial was in the Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery.
Alma Tschetter was born March 21, 1924, on the family farm near Yale, South Dakota, the third of seven children born to John M. and Mary Tschetter. Alma's childhood years were spent on the family farm, attending Bethel Church and Beadle County rural school for eight years. After Alma graduated from the eighth grade, her parents asked her to stay home from school for a year to help on the family farm. She reluctantly agreed, worried that she would not have the chance to return to school, but the following year, 1939, she enrolled in Huron High School and graduated in 1943. Alma then attended Huron College for a year and obtained a First Grade Teaching Certificate. She taught at Beadle School and Lake Byron Township School for nine years, teaching her sister, Karen, and her son, Danny.
When Joe and Alma moved to Huron from the farm, she taught at Glendale School, at rural Alpena, South Dakota. In the meantime, she was attending Huron College in a very non-traditional way, with night classes and summer school to obtain her state certificate. Alma then began a 34-year teaching career in the Huron School District. She graduated with honors from Huron College in 1969. Many of those teaching years in Huron were spent team-teaching first and second grade with her dear friend Rozella Glanzer in Jefferson School. She also taught in Washington School and briefly in Wilson School. Alma retired from teaching in 1986 and was named "Teacher of the Year" by A.A.U.W.
Alma was united in marriage with Joe C. Hofer on June 2 1946, at Bethel Church of rural Yale, South Dakota. The early years of their marriage were on Alma's homestead farm. In 1957, they moved their family to Huron where Joe was involved in the painting business. Joe was forced to retire at an early age due to ill health. Alma was his faithful caregiver for many years. Joe died in 1995, just a few months short of their 50th wedding anniversary.
Alma was a member of Bethesda Church where she enjoyed the adult Sunday school class and helped make a weekly meal for the AWANA kids. For many years previous, she was a faithful member of First Baptist Church where she was a member of the Diaconate Board, the Ruth Circle, and served as Sunday school superintendent.
Alma enjoyed quilting, embroidering dish towels, playing cards and going on bus trips. She was an avid reader and a wonderful cook. She was a member of the Huron Lioness, Huron Area Senior Center, Red Hatters and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Alma also enjoyed working for Danny at Slim's Concessions where she knew so many customers, most of whom she had taught in school. She kept the kitchen workers busy when she worked. No sitting around!
Grateful for sharing her life are her three children, Danny (Connie) Hofer of Huron, Ronda (Harley) Zens of Canova, and Kerry (Chris) Hofer of Sioux Falls; six grandchildren, Ryan (Crystal) Hofer of Huron, Leslie Hofer of Sioux Falls, Kevin (Stephanie) Hofer of Rapid City, Matthew (Jill) Zens of Mitchell, Mark (Jenny) Zens of Mitchell and Ryan (Sarah) Kingery of Chicago, Illinois; ten great-grandchildren; two sisters, Wanda (James) Kleinsasser of Huron and Karen Wollman of Menno; a brother, Ron (Nancy) Tschetter of Rapid City; two sisters-in-law, Betty Tschetter of Huron and Shirley Tschetter of Sioux Falls; her aunt, Goldie Tschetter of Huron; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Joe in 1995; her brothers, Kenneth and Menno; her sister, Elsie Glanzer; and one nephew, Gary Tschetter.