Donald 'Don' Hoffman, 80

The funeral for Donald "Don" G. Hoffman of Rochester, Minn., will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Rochester, with the Fr. Mark McNea and Fr. Timothy Reker officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary's Cemetery in Lake City, Minn. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home in Rochester, and 1 hour prior to the funeral at the church.

Don died at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester after battling lung cancer at home with Mayo Home Hospice.

He was born Dec. 29, 1931, in Red Wing, Minn., to Albert and Lillian (Hanson) Hoffman. He graduated from Red Wing High School in 1949 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He served in Okinawa, Japan, during the Korean War as a radio operator. In July 1954, he married Margaret Elwood of Lake City. After leaving the military, he worked for the Minnesota State Patrol as a radio dispatcher. He started driving school bus and working in the office as a part-time job. In 1968, he started working full time as a co-manager of Rochester School Bus Service and RSB Coaches. Eventually, he became the sole owner of the company. In 1992, he sold Rochester School Bus Service to Laidlaw, now First Student. In 2005, he retired and sold RSB Coaches to Minnesota Coaches in Hastings, Minn.

In 1963, Don served as the president of the Hiawatha Paraplegia Group and represented the local chapter at the National Convention in Los Angeles, Calif.

As a member of the National School Transportation Association (private school bus contractors trade association), he served as treasurer for over 10 years and computerized their financial records. Don proceeded on to serve a 2-year term as president. In July 1996, at the NSTA National Convention in Minneapolis, Minn., he was inducted into the NSTA Hall of Fame.

Don was a longtime board member of the Minnesota School Bus Operators Association (MSBOA), and in 2009, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.

He was an active member of St. Francis of Assisi Church and a member of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus.

Golfing, gardening with Margaret, fishing trips to Canada with his buddies, and motorcycle riding were his favorite pastimes. Don recently became a member of the Harley Owners Group (HOG). He also enjoyed traveling across the U.S. and abroad with family. Don looked forward to spending time with his family and friends at his summer home in Lake City.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret, of 58 years. He has four children: William (Ann Beauseigneur) Hoffman of Rochester, Daniel (Lillian) Hoffman of Little Rock, Ark., Deborah Hoffman of Rochester, and Jennifer (Roy Lovejoy) Hoffman of Rochester. Don has eight grandchildren, one of whom preceded him in death, and one great-grandchild. He is also survived by two brothers, Kenneth (Edith) Hoffman of Lake City and Wayne Hoffman of Portland, Ore.

The family encourages any memorials to Lourdes High School, St. Francis of Assisi Church, or Mayo Hospice.

Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com.

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