Evangeline Joye Breyfogle Hoffmann

Hoffmann—Evangeline Joye Breyfogle Hoffmann, 93, on August 25, 2024, peacefully, at Seven Acres Senior Living’s skilled nursing facility in Cincinnati, Ohio. Evie was born on March 2, 1931, the oldest of four children, to Bertha Elizabeth DeBoer Latchaw Breyfogle and Russel Pealer Breyfogle in Three Rivers, Mich. After graduating from Three Rivers High School in 1949, Evie attended Michigan State Normal College in Ypsilanti, Mich. Her education was interrupted by tuberculosis leading to 18 months spent in sanitariums before she earned her bachelor’s degree.

Evie began to attend Ann Arbor (Mich.) Meeting during her undergraduate years. Following graduation, she applied to the U.S. Department of Defense to teach children on air bases overseas. Her first assignment was in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in 1958. During the following school year, she taught in Southern England. Her next job was teaching at the contagion unit of University of Michigan Children’s Hospital. She studied humanistic psychology at the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute at Wayne State University and earned a master’s degree in special education from the University of Michigan.

In November 1963, Evie married Fredric Karl Hoffmann under the care of Ann Arbor Meeting. In spring of 1964, they moved to Stoney Brook, N.Y., where Fred was employed as a reference librarian. Their son, Thomas, was born in 1965. The family moved to Alfred, N.Y., where daughter, Sarah, was born in 1968. The family belonged to Alfred Meeting, were active in quarterly and yearly meetings, and regularly attended Friends General Conference Gatherings. Evie supported UNICEF, the local food co-op, and welcomed foreign students to her family’s home.

In 1976, Evie enrolled at Earlham School of Religion, pursuing a master of ministry degree. The family attended Clear Creek Meeting in Richmond, Ind., and Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting. Evie helped pay for school by working at a detox center. She created special holiday activities for the residents in treatment to ease their time away from home. In 1982, one course short of graduation from Earlham, Evie took a position as pastor of North Fairfield (Maine) Meeting and regularly attended New England Yearly Meeting. She was involved with Native people on reconciliation and anti-racism issues.

Evie shifted from pastoral work to substance abuse counseling at Mid-Maine Medical Center, then worked for the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Lubec. Evie had a way of connecting with people. She made many receiving blankets and toys for new babies. She was recognized by others with gifts, including handmade baskets.

Evie moved to Cincinnati in 2006. She quickly became active, participating in a book club, a bowling league, and 12-step meetings. She attended Community Meeting in Cincinnati with her daughter, Sarah. Evie transferred her membership to Community Meeting in 2020. She was a grounded spiritual presence in the meeting, sitting in her seat early to begin meeting for worship. Evie would listen and encourage others to share, often remaining silent on her own view. Evie’s lifelong habit was to listen with her eyes closed to increase her concentration. She could say more with her silence than many can with an abundance of words.

In her final days, the care she received at Seven Acres Senior Living’s skilled nursing brought great comfort to her family and friends. Queen City Hospice added presence during Evie’s last weeks.

Evie was predeceased by her husband, Fred Hoffmann; a sister, Anna Marie Breyfogle Austin; and a brother, Russel Breyfogle.

She is survived by two children, Thomas Hoffmann (Jenny) and Sarah Hoffmann (John Fix); one grandchild; one brother, William Breyfogle (Ruth); and many nieces and nephews.