Lyle James Hoffman was born Feb. 4, 1947, in Mankato, Minn., to Elmer and Mildred (Edwards) Hoffman. He was the youngest son of nine children. In 1954 his family purchased a farm near Delavan. He attended Delavan Public School and was active in FFA, where he developed an interest in raising and showing hogs. He received several showmanship awards at Festag and later became a purebred Spot breeder. He graduated in 1966 and helped on the family farm until moving to Mankato where he worked as a welder. On Oct. 2, 1976, Lyle was united in marriage to Joanne Butterfield at St. John’s Lutheran Church in St. Clair. They moved to the family farm in Delavan in 1977, where he became a hog and crop farmer. In 1989 they moved into Delavan where he later worked at the Delavan Agri-Science elementary school as a custodian until it closed. He then returned to farming and worked on hog farms near Janesville and Delavan until he retired. In 2010 they made their home in Winnebago.

Lyle served on Faith Lutheran Church council and enjoyed helping with church projects. His greatest joy in life was spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and many family members. His family was close, and he had a deep sense of family and friendship. He readily welcomed all who made his home their gathering place. He especially enjoyed the times spent with his children’s friends and the children he encountered while working at the Delavan school. He had a quick wit, loved to tease, a wealth of clever quips and stories that entertained all ages. He was a collector of farm toys and car memorabilia. His love of cars and trucks meant he could name any model and accurately name the year it was made. He enjoyed farm work, especially driving tractors, and possessed an abundant knowledge of how to fix things. He had a great love of the outdoors and would venture outside whenever he could. Lyle loved to travel and visit family and spend time with friends. He especially loved long road trips to the western states. He was a humble, quiet man, a hard worker who was dedicated to his family, and a loyal friend to those who knew him. His soft-spoken nature and sense of humor readily drew people to him. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and brother-in-law. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Lyle is survived by his wife of 47 years, Joanne; children, Jamie (Kim) and Ashley (Randy) Nelson; grandchildren, Torin, Wyatt, Avelina and Jonathan; siblings, Bill (Jeanie), Jerry (Loretta), Don (Sharon) and Jan (Ron) Davis; sisters-in-law, Melva Leonard and Sharyl Hoffman; in-laws, Lucinda (Steve) Mason, Patty (Patrick) Pomplun and Sarah Nucci; as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.

Lyle was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Mildred; siblings, Delmer, Betty (Gene) Wenner, Gene (Goody) and Leon; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Deloris Butterfield; and brothers-in-law, William Essig and Joseph Nucci.

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