E. Margaret Hoffman

E. Margaret (Eaton) Hoffman, 99, of East Peoria, passed away peacefully at 1:25am at the Washington Christian Village in Washington on Wednesday, July 8th. She was born on Christmas Day, 1915 in Biggs, IL to Theodore and Eva Euteneuer Eaton. On August 28, 1937, she married John L. Hoffman in East Peoria; he preceded her in death in 1986. Surviving are daughter Joanne Grampp of Washington, son Jim Hoffman (Marsha) of Salem, Oregon; granddaughter Carrie (Gordon) Walsh of Chicago and grandson Douglas of Salem, Oregon; two great grandchildren Gordon and Mia Walsh; nieces Carol (Jerry) Nena and Lea Rae (Eaton) Hedgcock; and nephews Kenny (Sandy) and Larry Eaton and Jerry (Wendy) Reichelderfer. She was also preceded in death by her parents, her sister Florence Reichelderfer and brothers Jake, Leo, and Howard Eaton. Margaret and her family moved to East Peoria in 1922 where she lived the rest of her life. She worked for Caterpillar in the 1930’s in the payroll department. She was a wonderful wife and mother being a Girl and Cub Scout leader and a member of the Washington Grade School Mothers Club where she was instrumental in starting their first hot lunch program. Her avocation was singing and she was well known in the Peoria area for her many soprano performances at Sacred Heart Church, St. Marys’ Cathedral and with the Palestrina Choral Society. She was also a member of the Caterpillar Mixed chorus where she had the lead parts in many musicals in the 50’s and 60’s, frequently singing with Frank Callahan and Jerry Jerome and in other venues with Jim Maloof. In 1953, she won First Place at the Peoria Area Music Festival, going on to sing at Chicago’s Soldiers’ Field. She was still singing in St. Monica’s choir until a few short years ago. Margaret was a very active woman, planting and harvesting her annual garden and maintaining the nearly one acre of grounds of her Highview Road home. She was frequently seen driving her John Deere mower as she cut and maintained her lawn well into her 90’s. A memorial Mass for Margaret will be held at 11:00am Tuesday, July 14, 2015, at St Monica’s Catholic Church in East Peoria where she had been a parishioner for 81 years. Private burial will be at Fondulac Cemetery in East Peoria. She will be sorely missed, but not forgotten. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to TAPS No-Kill Shelter

E. Margaret Hoffman

December 25, 1915 - July 8, 2015