The campus community mourns the passing of Dan Hoffman who died on Monday, July 26. After 33 years of service to Bucknell, Dan retired from the University in 2003 as Professor Emeritus of Biology.
During Dan’s tenure at Bucknell, he received a number of National Science Foundation (NSF) grants. His colleagues in the Biology department shared that Dan was a loyal Bucknellian, having taught in the Biology department for more than 30 years. His favorite topics to teach were marine biology and biology for non-majors, where he shared his passion for fieldwork with generations of Bucknell students.
Dan’s wife, Marcia (Kutz) Hoffman, previous Executive Director of Human Resources, graduated from Bucknell in 1989 with an M.S. in Business Administration; their son, Ty, is a 2007 Bucknell alumnus; and daughter, Paige, is a member of the Class of 2013.
Included below is the complete text of the obituary, as provided by the family.
You are encouraged to visit our In Memoriam Site at bucknell.edu/InMemoriam and share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others.
On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Dan’s family, as well as to all who knew him at Bucknell.
John C. Bravman
President
Dan Hoffman, 83, passed away on Monday, July 26 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. Dan was an Emeritus Professor of Biology at Bucknell University, having taught for 34 years. The Tropical Marine Biology course in the US Virgin Islands that Dan initiated in 1985 remains his legacy.
Craig Franz, a 1975 Bucknell alum said, “Dan was not only inspirational in my life but also in the lives of the hundreds of students he taught. He has a way of encouraging the best in everyone and was warmly accepting and completely non-judgemental in his love for all students: gay or straight, black or white, female or male, academically gifted or struggling. I was the beneficiary of his many kindnesses, and owe my professional academic career to the inspiration be demonstrated in his. Mentor, friend, counselor, professor, confidant, and invertebrate wonk, Dan was always there to offer sagacious advice and a quick smile.”
The only child of Gail (Terselic) and Louis Hoffman of La Salle, Illinois, Dan attended St. Roch Catholic School and St. Bede Academy. Inspired and encouraged by the Benedictines who taught him, Dan always aspired to be a college professor, despite the fact that no one in his family had ever attended college before.
Dan went on to graduate from UC/Berkeley, earn his Masters degree at Northwestern University, and his PhD in Zoology from the University of Washington, Seattle.
In 1980, Dan married Marcia (Kutz) in Bucknell’s Rooke Chapel. They spent more than 40 years together. They have 3 children and 2 grandsons: Noah, Yasmin and Hudson, Morgantown W. Va; Tyler, Gina (Berardinelli) and Liam, Scenery Hill, PA ; Paige Hoffman and Justin Saranovic, Pittsburgh, PA.
Friends and family are invited to a Mass of the Resurrection at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 41 South 8th St, Lewisburg at 11:00am on Monday, August 2nd. Masks will be required by all visitors when indoors. An informal visitation will take place in the Church Commons starting at 10:30am. A luncheon will follow the Mass and a brief graveside service at the Lewisburg Cemetery.
The Parish and the family will provide flowers, and suggest that memorial contributions in Dan’s memory be sent to St. Bede Academy, 24 West US Highway 6, Peru, Illinois 61354.
Dear Marcia,
I’m sorry for your loss. I hope that your faith will sustain you during this difficult time.
With Sympathy, Janice Mann
Thank you, Janice.
After all these years together, I miss Dan so much. Nevertheless, our faith assures us that we will be together again.
Sincerely,
Marcia