Wally and Alma
First One
Christmas 1944
Who Is Out There?
Growing Up
We Get Our Feet Wet
We Visit London
From Fantasy To Reality
Wally Goes To War
Tribute To "VE" Day
The Flying Fortress
Polebrook and The Death of the Flying Fortress
Wally Hoffman, 93, passed away January 11, 2014, in Olympia, Washington, where he had lived for 50 years. He was born December 29, 1920, to Harry and Margaret (Lucas) Hoffman in Bremerton, Washington. After graduation from high school he worked in the logging camps to earn enough to attend college at WSU. After two years he joined the Army Air Force and entered Aviation Cadet Training.
Wally served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II as a B-17 pilot, flying 35 missions over Europe.Professionally, he worked for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard after graduation from college, and the U.S. Department of Education, Bureau of Land Management in Wenatchee, Chehalis, and Auburn until 1957. Then he worked for the Department of Natural Resources and was in charge of the land management of the state trust lands (school lands) in Olympia, Washington. He retired from state service in 1982.
Wally also served as a volunteer firefighter in Auburn, and after moving to Olympia, he joined Lacey Fire District 3 as a Fire Commissioner in 1966, and served in that capacity for 16 years until 1982. He then transferred to a volunteer and contractor status where he served in various capacities but most notably as the Fire Warden over the District’s Ranger Program until he fully retired at the end of 2000 after 34 years of service.
He was a 67-year Mason, finishing all of his degrees in 1946. In 1966, he became a member of Harmony Lodge18, serving as Master in 1974.
Wally was active in many service groups, but his number one priority was always his family.
He took creative writing courses on the Internet and wrote his memoirs of World War II, which you can enjoy on this site.Wally passed away January 11, 2014, in Olympia, Washington, where he had lived for 50 years. He was soon followed by Alma.
He is survived by his daughters, Diane (Ken) Martin of Rainier, Washington, and Debbie (Larry) Culwell of Olympia.
He is also survived by five
grandchildren: Robert (Cheryl) Horton, Olivia Strout, Dennis
(Ruth) Horton, Megan (Jamey) Whitney, and David Strout; and nine
great grandchildren.
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