CAS_Newsletter_Spring_2021

ROGER lived in Ellendale, ND, and traveled to work in Aberdeen each morning before sunrise. It was readily evident that Roger took a great deal of pride in his work. He could be seen walking the halls daily, making sure all spaces were clean and organized, and he was always willing to help whenever and wherever needed. In sharing stories about Roger with other faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences, I came to realize that we all knew a different side of him, and none of us knew him the same way. It was as if we all held a different piece of the puzzle, and in putting together all of our stories about Roger, we could get a better picture of him. Roger and I exchanged stories about Halloween, one of his favorite holidays. Each year he would dress up and attend the Halloween costume party and dance at the Moose Lodge. I loved seeing him laugh and smile as he showed me photos of the event and of his costume. He always had the greatest costumes! We also talked about our pets. He had two cats – his little girl and boy Kallie and Sebastian. He adored those kitties, and he always had such great stories about them, especially Sebastian, because he was the younger, more mischievous of the two. Cats were also a topic of discussion between Roger and Dr. Pen Pearson, a fellow cat lover. She shared this memory: “A few years ago, Roger began feeding a couple of stray cats near his home. It was October, and he worried about what would become of them in winter. Because Roger had a cat already, he couldn’t take them into his home. I NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY | SPRING 2021 REMEMBERING Roger Hoffman by Dr. Elizabeth Haller On December 18, 2020, the College of Arts and Sciences lost a dear friend and dedicated colleague with the passing of Roger Hoffman. For the past twenty-three years, Roger served as a facilities worker at Northern, with his primary responsibilities being custodial services in Mewaldt-Jensen and the Technology Center. suggested he take the cats to the Humane Society and offered to cover the cost, which he happily accepted. I will always remember Roger as someone who loved cats and who went out of his way to help them.” Roger went out of his way often and was extremely genuine. Dr. Courtney Waid- Lindberg remarked: “My fondest memories of Roger were the times we would talk each summer when I worked in my office. During these chats, I got to know Roger as someone who loved Northern and his church community. I am a cancer survivor, and he always asked me how I was doing. I knew he was genuinely interested and cared. Our chats sometimes centered on not giving up in the face of adversity or setting personal goals in light of obstacles that may be in the way. I always appreciated his positive attitude, and I felt a sense of calm in his presence.” For Dr. Juan Gonzalez, his discussions with Roger centered on music: “Roger loved to talk about music and old records. He talked about old classic bands like the Beatles and the Beach Boys. He also enjoyed talking about any local travel he made to Sioux Falls or Fargo, the state fair, etc. He really enjoyed someone taking an interest in him, and he always took a sincere interest in you.” Food was often the topic in Dr. Dave Grettler’s interactions with Roger: “My favorite memory of Roger is getting his updates on various restaurants in Ellendale—mostly stories of how they went out of business. Roger wasn’t a foodie, but he knew all the town gossip worth knowing in Ellendale. I will miss him.” Dr. Jon Schaff had this to say about Roger: “Like most of us, I enjoyed chatting with Roger, getting to know what was going on in his life, and, sadly, dealing with all the health problems that plagued him during these last years. I recall when I first started here Roger’s sisters were selling some stuff out of a catalog. Roger brought the catalog to work and asked if I saw anything I liked. It was religious artwork, knickknacks and the like. I picked a tasteful piece of artwork with a quote from Psalm 121: ‘I will lift mine eyes unto the hills from whence commeth my help.’ I can quote it because it still sits right behind me in my office. That picture will be my reminder of Roger. He’ll be sorely missed.” Senior Secretary Julie Backous perfectly summed up the essence of Roger when she shared the following recollection: “I don’t have one specific incident with Roger . . . rather this happened all the time but was an indication of his simple and happy demeanor towards life. Whenever Roger would vacuum my office, the hose would always come apart from the machine when he reached under my desk . . . always. He would just laugh and put it back together . . . never frustrated or complaining. Once I said to him that they should get him a new one, and he just grinned and said, ‘It still works.’ I am sure that hose came off every single time he used