Earl N. Hoffbeck, age 94, of Redwood Falls, Minnesota, passed away of Pneumonia on Thursday, December 6, 2018, at the Redwood Area Hospital while surrounded by his family.  Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. John Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday.  Interment is in the Redwood Falls Cemetery.  Stephens Funeral Service – Redwood Valley Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Earl N. Hoffbeck was born August 2, 1924, on the family farm in Three Lakes Township to George & Ella (Nielsen) Hoffbeck. He was baptized August 31, 1924, and confirmed June 12, 1938, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Gilfillan. Earl attended a one-room schoolhouse country school near Morgan. He entered the U.S. Army on December 1, 1945, and served as an Amphibian Truck Driver during WWII. Earl received his Honorable Discharge on November 21, 1946, and returned home to begin farming. Earl enjoyed roller skating and met the love of his life, Shirley Kirschstein, at the roller rink. On September 30, 1951, the couple was united in marriage at the Methodist Church in Springfield. Together they lived, raised five children and farmed near Redwood Falls. Faith, family, personal responsibility, duty and honor are values that guided Earl’s life. Time with his family was important to him, and after the work was done, Earl, Shirley and the kids would play games and sports, go fishing or swimming at the lake and sometimes take trips along the North Shore in the pickup camper. Earl also took pride in his farm. He had a prized herd of registered Holstein dairy cattle and sold Grade A milk to Land O’Lakes and AMPI. He also raised corn and soybeans as well as Yorkshire boars and gilts and (earlier in his life) purebred Spitz puppies. Education was very important to Earl, and he encouraged and helped his family to continue their post-secondary educations. He played the accordion, concertina and harmonica. Earl will be re­membered for his sense of humor and his storytelling. He took great care of his vehicles and enjoyed performance sports cars, riding motorcycle and snowmobiling. In his younger years, Earl enjoyed playing softball and horseshoes.

Earl is survived by his children: Deborah Hoffbeck of Lynchburg, VA, Patricia (Nathan) Freeman of Northfield, Randy (Leanne) Hoffbeck of Alexandria, Rodney Hoffbeck of Redwood Falls & Valerie (Todd) Nelson of Minneapolis; granddaughters: Alisha (Daniel) Norman & Krista Hoffbeck; great granddaughters: Sylvia & Evie Norman; siblings: Viola Dahmes of Redwood Falls, Alvin (Ardith) Hoffbeck of Tracy & Floyd Hoffbeck of Redwood Falls; sisters-in-law: Alvina Hoffbeck of Morgan & Evelyn “Evie” Hoffbeck of Marshall; and many other relatives and friends.  He is preceded in death by his parents; wife Shirley; grandson Bryce Lange; brothers: Raymond, Vernon, Norman & Francis “Fritz” Hoffbeck; brother-in-law LaVerne Dahmes; and sisters-in-law: Darlene, Lois and Joyce Hoffbeck.