Carl William Hoffman, Jr.'s Obituary
Major General Carl W. Hoffman, United States Marine Corps, of Escondido passed away on May 31, 2016. Born in Omaha, Nebraska on December 24, 1919, he made his way through Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, as a dance band leader. He joined the Marine Corps at the start of World War II, and earned the Silver Star and two Purple Heart Medals while participating in operations on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian. He also served combat tours in Korea and Vietnam, served as the Commanding General at Marine Corps Bases in Twentynine Palms, Parris Island, and then retired in1978 as the Commanding General of Camp Pendleton.
General Hoffman was the consummate musical arranger and composer, and performed dance music with the Carl Hoffman Dance Band for many years around San Diego. He was married to Allie Hoffman for 60 years before her passing in 2005, and they combined to organize local choral groups who performed show tunes and dance tunes with Marine wives during their tours around the country, and after his retirement, in Hidden Meadows Lake Golf Club.
General Hoffman is survived by his children Jill, Bill, and John, his close friend Marilynn Tenney of Escondido, and five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 3, 2016 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church at 1087 West Country Club Lane, Escondido, CA 92026. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to Blindconnect, a non-profit for the visually impaired, located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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