Barbara Ann Hoffman

Barbara Ann (Helland) Hoffman, 74, passed away June 14, 2023 with her loving family by her side, after her hard-fought battle with cancer. She was born on December 1, 1948, to Allan and Jeanette (Roberts) Helland in Ottawa, IL. Barb attended Nettle Creek Grade School and Morris Community High School, graduating with the class of 1966. She married the love of her life, Danny Hoffman, on February 24, 1968, at the Stavanger Lutheran Church. With her passion for helping others, she began working at the “Poor Farm”/Grundy County Home as a Nurse’s Aide in 1967. As the county built the new facility, she assisted in moving the residents in and continued to work as a CNA and later became the Activity Director at the Grundy County Nursing Home then Park Pointe Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. She worked there until she retired in 2015 after having given 47 years of service to the community. She was a member and served on the board of the Illinois Valley Activity Director’s Association for many years. She was a lifelong member of the Stavanger Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School and she and Danny served as co-chairpersons for the annual Scandinavian Christmas program for many years. Barb was a member of the Morris Woman’s Club representing at the local, regional, and state level. She also volunteered for Grundy Community Hospice and Meals on Wheels. She was a member of the Morris Chiefs Youth Football Organization and the Morris Football Quarterback Club. She was a diehard Morris Redskins football fan, and she could always be found on her seat at the 50-yard line each week. She, along with some other football moms, started the weekly Thursday night spaghetti dinners. The boys always told her that she made the best garlic bread. Barb always put everyone before herself and her door was always open to everyone. It wasn’t uncommon for her to walk in the door to someone just sitting in the living room having a snack. She was everyone’s other mom and was even known to stop and take a homeless person to lunch.
She loved her family fiercely and she and Danny could always be found at their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids sports and other events. She loved traveling to support them all and would rarely miss an event. She enjoyed and took pride in learning about all the new sports her grandchildren and great-grandchildren would play. She made sure they all knew she was their #1 cheerleader.
Barb is survived by her loving husband Danny of 54 years, her daughters; Kim Gordon of Morris, Sarah (Scott) Slater of Morris, Phoebe (Mike) Weitzel of Morris, her sons; Ben (Jennifer Manning) of Ottawa and Danny (Molly) Hoffman of Owatonna, MN. She is also survived by her grandchildren; Sydni (Nathan Stewart) Hoffman, Dalton (Carly) Gordon, Sterling (Rachiel Buerger) Slater, Brandon & Caden Weitzel, Derek, Libee & Paislee Hoffman, Olivia, Marshall & Gracie Hoffman. Her great-grandchildren; Savannah Stewart, Bo, Eilish and Emelia Gordon, Jaxon, Greyson, Brinleigh and Raelynn Slater, and Kailey & Khloe Buerger. Her sister; Susan Knott of Morris, brothers; David Helland of Joliet, and Paul Helland of Atlanta, GA, brother-in-law Leo Newman of Morris, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and special friends.
She is preceded in death by her son Brandon in infancy, her granddaughter Sabrina Slater, her parents, a sister Betty Jane in infancy, brother Mark “Beef” Helland, and her sister Jo Ellen Newman.
Visitation for Barb will be held on Monday, June 19th, 2023 from 4p.m.-8p.m. at Fruland Funeral Home. A celebration of Barb’s life will be held on Tuesday, June 20th, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the Stavanger Lutheran Church with Pastor Phil Peterson officiating. Burial will be in the Stavanger Lutheran Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Stavanger Lutheran Church, Wallace Fire Department or Lightways Hospice.
Those closest to her know that she would want all to remember her famous saying that we have come to live by, “Do not bring shame on this house!”
Fruland Funeral Home, 121 W. Jefferson St. in Morris is in charge of arrangements. For more information, call the funeral home at 815-942-0700 or sign the online guestbook at www.frulandfuneralhome.com .