Mary E. Hoffman

Mary Ella Johnson Hoffman, age 71, passed away unexpectedly on December 29, 2020 at Legacy Emmanuel Hospital in Portland. A graveside service will be held at Skyview Memorial Park cemetery on Friday, January 8th at 2pm. Mary Ella was born on June 8, 1949, in Pendleton, Oregon, to Hobart (Stubby) Johnson and Mary Cargill Johnson. She attended St. Joseph’s Academy and graduated from Pendleton High School. She lived in Idaho, Echo, Heppner, and Hermiston in her adult years. She loved hiking in the forest, training dogs, wildflowers, and creating things. She enjoyed gardening also and won the Yard of the Month at her house on W. Baltimore in Heppner. She was famous for her sourdough biscuits, cinnamon rolls, and dinner rolls. For a season in Heppner, she had a baking business called Hearty Bakers, cooked at the Senior Meal Site and baked for the Willow Creek Diner. Many people loved her cooking. She worked for the Heppner Ranger District of the USFS and was awarded Certificates of Merit for extra effort in completing Stocking Survey Contracts for two years in a row. She loved God and was involved in churches in Heppner and Hermiston. She deeply loved her family and prayed for them all to come to a full knowledge of Christ’s salvation and to live their lives for Him. Her desire to serve God took her on some international trips to several places where she worked to minister to others. She married Richard “Dick” Hoffman on May 22, 2011. Together they enjoyed going to the mountains, training dogs, hiking, going to steer roping events, and yard sales. She was fond of going for drives with Dick in his restored 1948 pickup. She was dedicated to her family and stepped in when she was needed. She spent a lot of time and energy caring for her brother Dick Johnson through his health issues these past few years. She had a special, quiet unassuming way about her, and she always had a project she was working on. She was an incredibly talented artist in several mediums. Oil paint, watercolors, scratch art, sewing, and crochet to name a few. Mary Ella is survived by her husband, Richard Hoffman; siblings, Beverly McCloud, and Dick Johnson; nephews Randy Tachella, and Casey (Cindy) Anderson; niece, Malissia (Irvy) Markham; stepchildren Camie (Rocky) Britt, Johnie (Karol) Moyer, Jason (Carrie) Broadfoot, Steve (Samantha) Hoffman, and Joe (Amber) Hoffman; many great nephews, great nieces; and step-grandchildren. Mary Ella is preceded in death by her parents, sisters Rita Johnson and Elaine Urban, nephews Billy Tachella, and Zeb Johnson.