Gloria K Hoffman

Gloria K. Hoffman passed away peacefully December 2019 in Jacksonville, FL. In true form to her personality, Gloria slipped away between visits by her daughter and son-in-law, thereby successfully avoiding further agony from her daughter's off-key singing of Christmas carols. She was born in Rochester, New York to Mable Hugo. Gloria had been married 46 wonderful years to Melvin Hoffman who passed away in 2009. Prior to Mel she was married 4 years to Richard Johnson, who died early 2019, and with whom she had a dedicated, loving daughter, Billie-jean Fryer.

Gloria worked at the University of South Florida library during USF's early, formative years. She later worked at a local bookstore but was best known for her passion of raising glorious roses which she supplied to florists. She loved to garden and was ahead of her time in designing her front yard in xeriscaping fashion in the 1980s. Gloria was an avid reader, especially of politics and mysteries, and faithfully completed daily crossword puzzles.  Her passion, however, was playing bridge competitively while   successfully earning the level of Diamond Master.

Family and friends will remember Gloria as a practical, competitive, outgoing woman who loved to play board games, and card games all of which she played to win! Weekdays she watched General Hospital, her favorite, for decades. She loved animals with the exception of monkeys, and was a strong supporter of animal rescue programs, especially Best Friends. She was a great cook and a strong believer in eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Before relocating to Jacksonville, she had been a long-time resident of Blairsville, GA as well as Brandon and Tampa, FL.

Gloria is survived by her dedicated daughter and son-in-law, Billie-jean and Steve Fryer, as well as two loving grand-daughters and their spouses, Kristin and Brett Lister, FL, and Lyndsey and Chris Vasquez, VA. She also has five great-grandchildren.  She is survived by her devoted siblings, brother and sister-in-law, Charles and Marge Cohick, VA, brother and sister-in-law Ronnie and Rosemary Cohick, FL, and sister and brother-in-law Bonnie and Tommy Platt, NY.

A Remembrance Reunion will be held the morning of Monday, March 16, 2020 at The Butterfly and Rainforest Garden inside the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, FL.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to Best Friends animal rescue at BestFriends.org or the Alzheimer's Association earmarked for research.