Clear, 52° F
(Mar. 4, 2010)
Joseph Felix Hoff, 95, died on March 4, 2010, in Cody.
Felix was born Oct. 9, 1914, in Firth, Idaho, to Peter and Anna Hoff. His father, Peter, came from Norway, and his mother, Anna, was of Swedish decent.
Felix married Sarah Mecham in 1936. He and Sarah had a daughter, Phyllis, before Sarah died in 1938. He later married Bessie Bosley, and daughters Melanie and Colleen were born. Bessie and Felix were married 53 years before Bessie died in 1991.
Felix spent his life working in the professions that he loved. He was a carpenter and builder in Idaho and a rancher in Wyoming, and he later owned a lumber business in Blackfoot, Idaho. He retired to his ranch in Wyoming in 1992 where he raised a garden and llamas, hunted, fished and watched the river go by. The ranch was the gathering place for his family and friends.
He had a beautiful tenor voice and was an excellent yodeler. He was singing and yodeling just hours before his death.
He was preceded in death by his parents; five older siblings, Alvin Hoff, Elmer Hoff, Rudolph Hoff, Ruth Rogers and Gladys Oliver; his wives, Sarah and Bessie; and son-in-law Larry Fisher.
He is survived by his three daughters, Phyllis Sammons (Ray) of Tucson, Ariz., Melanie Fisher of Meridian, Idaho, and Colleen Peters (Dave Swedberg) of Clark; grandchildren Steve Sammons (Suzy) of Grand Rapids, Mich., Stacy Sammons (Debbie) of Tucson, Amy Benkovich of Meridian, Matthew Woolford of Boise, Idaho, Beth Hanley (John) of Lander, Bret Fisher of Oregon, Chanda Lofquist of Fergus Falls, Minn., Barbi Moore (Randy) of Cody and Amanda Peters of Fergus Falls; 16 great-grand-children and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 11 at the Bethel Lutheran Church, 413 North Main, in Firth, Idaho. The family will receive friends for one hour prior to services at the church. Burial will be in the Riverview Cemetery in Shelley, Idaho. Condolences can be sent to the family at www.nalderfuneralhome.com.
