Reta Jane Hofer

December 19, 1925 - January 20, 2021

Reta Jane Conrad was born December 19, 1925 in Eugene, OR.  Her father, Ralph Conrad, was a pastor who along with her mother, Lena Conrad (nee Orr) ministered in multiple Churches of God, particularly in California.  Reta had three older siblings: Pluma Dressler, Charlotte Conrad and Sheldon Conrad.  She was the older sister of Relda (Dickie) Stone and Virginia Moffenbier.  Her sister, Charlotte, died at two years of age prior to Reta's birth. Following her high school graduation, she worked as a secretary at the Merced air base during World War II.  Following the closure of the base she moved to Portland to be near her sister Pluma and then eventually to Dinuba, California where her mother and father were ministering.  In December of 1949, she was on a date with an officer when Emmett Hofer approached her and asked "Why are you dating this guy?  Why don't you come with me?"  And she did.  They drove up to Fresno to look at the Christmas lights and three months later, on March 30, 1950 they were married.  They were married for 66 years until Emmett's passing on September 24, 2017.  In those years they ministered in churches mainly on the west coast.  During this time she also worked as a nurse's assistant, a teacher's assistant and a care giver for senior citizens.  In 1955 they had their only child, Brent. She loved to host dinner parties, cook delicious food, lie in the sun, tease people and love on her granddaughters, Eleanna and Nicole.  She was feisty, outgoing and independent.  She never did fit the typical "pastor's wife" profile which endeared her to younger pastors wives.  In 2010 she was diagnosed with dementia.  While she never forgot who people were she failed to remember recent information.  She and Emmett moved into an assisted living facility in 2012.  Following his passing she continued to live there as she considered it her home.  During the forest fires in September she was evacuated to Brent and Sherry's home but told them she wanted to go back home; to her apartment. On December 19th, her birthday, she tested positive for the Covid virus.  She lived through the two week quarantine and moved back to her apartment.  Two days later, she fell and broke her hip.  She survived the surgery but on January 20 at 10:48 am she passed away. She is survived by her sister Virginia Moffenbier, brother-in-laws Glenn Stone and Bob Dressler, son Brent Hofer and daughter-in-law Sherry Hofer and her two granddaughters Eleanna and Nicole.  Additionally, she has six nieces and four nephews. Her internment with Emmett will be on Friday, January 29th at Willamette National Cemetery.