Esther Verona Hoff
June 16, 1923 - August 10, 2023
Obituary
Esther Verona (Benson) Hoff was born June 16, 1923, in Honeyford, North Dakota to Fred and Esther Benson. She and her brother Donald grew up on the farm and learned in a one room school until she attended High School in Grand Forks. After graduation from Central High in 1941, she attended the University of North Dakota where she met the love of her life Karl G. Hoff. When Karl went into the Army Air Corps in WWII, Verona went to Minneapolis to attend Fairview Hospital Nursing School where she became an RN. After the war, Karl and Verona married at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Honeyford on December 1, 1945. They relocated to Seattle after Karl was hired by Boeing and joined Glendale Lutheran in 1948. Together they raised three children: Steve, Herb and Patty. Verona went to be with her Lord and Savior on August 10, 2023.
Verona is remembered by her love of family, Jesus, friends, nature and community. She was always ready to serve others. Everyone thinks they were her favorite as she loved unconditionally and fiercely. Lives she touched were from the neighborhood to strangers, providing a room/hospitality, Hospice nurse to friends, RN at El Dorado Nursing/Rehab Home, reading to preschoolers at church, helping with Youth Group, visiting shut-ins with flowers, making quilts for missions, providing transportation, volunteering at the USO, learning and leading at Bible Studies, voting assistance at Hazel Valley Elementary, and faithfully praying. She was proud of her Swedish heritage and loved nature and animals, except mice. There were many activities that she enjoyed as well: gardening, birdwatching, baking (buns, Dutch Babies, cookies), hiking, skiing, canoeing, walking, camping, flower arranging, finding a bargain, reading, writing and receiving letters, not sewing.
Verona was preceded in death by her husband Karl and brother Donald. She is survived by children: Steve Hoff (Kristi), Herb Hoff (Gail), Patty Patch (Bob), grandchildren: Tory Hoff (Jennifer), Nathan Hoff (Joy), Ryan Hoff (Katie), Kirsten Clapp (Nicholas), Jenny Lee (Justin), David Hoff, Amy Hamilton (Nick) and Trevor Haav (Julia), great-grandchildren: Christian (Molly), Isabella, Annika, Grace, Taylor, Samuel, Annabelle, Peter, Amelia, Joni, Connor, Sammy, Jenica, Lexi, Magnus, Theo and Elias. Also, many nieces and nephews.
We will cherish the wonderful memories of Verona and appreciate all she has meant to us. She truly was an example of Christ. It is so comforting to know this is not goodbye, it’s “see you later.”
Verona’s Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 26th, 1:00 PM Glendale Chapel, 13455 2nd Ave SW, Burien WA 98146. Internment at Washington Memorial.
We were fortunate to become a part of the Hoff family when Thelma married Reuben Haugen. We will always cherish the memories of getting together with Karl and and Verona when they visited us in El Paso, Texas. God bless the Huff family. Our deepest sympathies, Love, Ron and Bev Haugen.