Joan J. Hoffman

Clearwater — Joan J. Hoffman, 98, of Clearwater died peacefully and with a smile Thursday, July 21, 2022 at Arbor Care Center in Neligh.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022 at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Clearwater with a 7 p.m. wake service.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022 at the church in Clearwater.

Burial will be in the St. Theresa's Catholic Cemetery in Clearwater.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of St. Croix, Arbor Care Center Neligh or Antelope Memorial Hospital in Joan's name or to the family for future designation.

Snider Memorial Funeral Home in Clearwater is in charge of the arrangements.

Joan was born to Gaylord and Prudence Albright on Aug. 22, 1923. She attended school and graduated from Page High School with the Class of 1941 and attended the University of Omaha. 

On June 22, 1946 she married her life partner Omer J. Hoffman in Colorado. To this union a daughter Mary Hollis "Holly" and son Gregory were born. 

Joan spent her life nurturing, loving, reading, writing, talking, provoking, challenging, daydreaming, imagining, writing poetry, writing letters, writing columns and tutoring. Many knew Joan's Northeast Nebraska perspective through her Over the Corral Fence columns which she wrote for over 50 years. She was a well-known Nebraska poet. Voice of the Plains, an audio cassette series, was released in 1989. Her chapbook, Call Me By My Real Name, was published in 1997. Her poetry and essays have been included in the anthologies: Leaning into the Wind: Women Write from the Heart of the West, Graining the Mare, The Logan House Anthology of 21st Century American Poetry, Times of Sorrow, Times of Grace, The Untidy Season: An Anthology of Nebraska Women Poets. The Nebraska Library Association Mari Sandoz Award was awarded to Joan in 2006. In 2007, Collection, a gathering of her many past and current poems and verse, was published. 

If you were lucky enough to receive a letter from Joan, it ignited a heartfelt response and a friendship was born. 

Joan was active in the Antelope Arts Council, co-chairperson of the Summer Solstice celebration, lifelong member of St. Theresa parish in Clearwater, active in Catholic women's groups and a die-hard Democrat.     

     Joan is survived by her daughter Mary Hollis "Holly" Troup and Gregory (Mary Jo) Hoffman of Clearwater; six grandchildren Dimitry (Justine) Troup and Alexandra (Carsten) Vogt, all of Germany, Mendie Jo (Jordan) Welu of Boston, MA, Patrick (Cathy) Hoffman of Bozeman, MT, Nicholas (Brittany) Hoffman of Clearwater, and Mara Troup (Matt Ohzourk significant other) of Chicago, IL; and six great-grandchildren.     

     She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Omer; three sisters Dorothy, Inez and LaVonne; and two brothers Melvin and Sterling.

Online condolences for the family may be left at www.snidermemorialfh.com.