Jonathan Hofer was born on April 11, 1934 at Blumengart Colony, in Plum Coulee, Manitoba, Canada to parents Jacob and Anna Hofer, a middle child of 10 siblings.  Jon relocated with the family to South Dakota in 1950. He enlisted in the US Army in 1956 and trained as a machinist in the Corps of Engineers, earning the rank of Specialist Sergeant. After finishing his service in 1960, Jon enrolled in the welding program at the Dunwoody School in Minneapolis, MN. In 1966 Jon began attending the University of Minnesota, eventually earning a Master’s Degree in Education. In 1996 Jon retired after 26 years as a school teacher, most of which were spent at Franklin Magnet Elementary School in St. Paul, MN.

Jon enjoyed working on construction projects and an occasional round of golf, but mostly he loved to talk with people- he enjoyed daily walks with friends, meeting for breakfast, and even just getting together for a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. Jon is survived by his wife Madelon, daughter Kristin, son Loren and 3 granddaughters.