Ernest Hoffman

Ernest (Ernie) LeRoy Hoffman came into the world on October 19, 1931, in Lead, South Dakota, the son of Lafayette (Fay) and Evalina Hoffman, and younger brother of Lewis Hoffman.  He spent his childhood years in the Black Hills of South Dakota.   Shortly after his father died in 1948, he quit school and took a job to support the family.  On January 6, 1951, he joined the U.S. Army and served three years, including 10-1/2 months in Korea during the Korean War conflict.

In 1953, he married Joanne Groshong in Lead, South Dakota, and they were married for 33 years.  After his discharge from the Army, he joined the U.S. Forest Service, where he worked for 29 years as a fire lookout, file clerk, fleet mechanic, heavy equipment operator, and heavy truck driver.  Rising to the level of Equipment Specialist, he purchased all the trucks and heavy equipment for the Rocky Mountain Region of the Forest Service, retiring as Fleet Equipment Manager for the Black Hills National Forest.  For several years during his Forest Service career, he served as an instructor at the Job Corps facility in the Black Hills, teaching auto mechanics and body repair. 

In 1993, he married Sandy Kroger and moved to Sheridan, Wyoming.  They first resided on North Heights Road. in Sheridan, and later moved to Bighorn, where he passed away at the age of 88 on August 21, 2020.  Ernie had many close friends and enjoyed spending time with them and making them laugh.  He always had a project going and worked hard his whole life.  His later years were spent in his shop, perfecting his woodworking skills and building keepsakes, while dispensing advice and solving the world’s problems.  He loved western movies and books and assembling jigsaw puzzles.

He is survived by his wife Sandy; children David Hoffman and Sharon Tolar; step-children Traci Christensen and Todd Kroger; grandchildren Jeanette Tolar, Nicole Paugh, Travis Tolar, and Stephanie Hoffman; and five great-grandchildren.

Due to COVID-19, services will be limited to immediate family only. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Sheridan Senior Center Daybreak Program.