William "Bill" Hoffman

On Tuesday, March 22, 2022, William (Bill) Hoffman, loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away at the age of 82 in Hendersonville, TN.  Bill was born in Richmond Hill, N.Y., on October 8, 1939, to William R. and Joann (Simon) Hoffman.  He grew up in Floral Park, NY where he attended Sewanhaka High School. He received the Navy ROTC and New York State Engineering Scholarships to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and attained his management engineering degree.  Bill’s Naval service took him to ports in the Mediterranean, Atlantic coast of Europe, and finally the Caribbean during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Following his service, Bill earned his M.B.A. from Columbia University and began his civilian career at Arthur Young and Co. in the management consulting group. In 1973, he left Arthur Young to join Baldwin Technology Company in Stamford, CT, where he rose from Assistant to the President to Vice President of Finance. After a brief move to Illinois to launch an educational software company with Scott Foresman, he returned to Connecticut and established a management consulting practice.  Bill was then hired as President and CEO of Gordon Fraser, a British gift card company, in Newtown, CT.  When G.F. was acquired by Hallmark Cards, he joined Perman & Green, LLP, an intellectual property law firm, where he served as legal administrator until his retirement in 2005.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Bill was very committed to his church families at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fairfield, CT, and St. Timothy's Lutheran Church in Hendersonville where Bill worked on finance and property committees and served as an usher and lector.  Bill was very proud of founding The Westport Group in 1991, a non-profit which provides support and resources to senior executives in career transition. A lifelong aficionado of classical music, Bill supported the Fairfield Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra and Nashville Symphony. He was a trivia whizz, enjoying Trivial Pursuit and Jeopardy in addition to his daily crosswords and sudoku, for which he used pen.   Most will remember Bill as a great friend and encourager, keeping in touch with folks from his childhood, college and all his life’s chapters, until his very last days.

In his early adult years, Bill met a looker named Rosemary and, after dating on and off, decided she would be his “first wife.”  After a few years of living the high life in Manhattan, a daughter (Valerie) was born and this little family left the big city for the ‘burbs.  Soon after a second daughter (Cindy) came along and their family unit was complete.  These three ladies were the light of his life.  Family time - at home, traveling, at church, out to dinner, playing games, even grocery shopping - was of utmost importance to Bill.  He taught his daughters many of his varied skills and talents, though not singing, thank goodness.  They enjoyed these activities throughout the remainder of his life, journeying from Maine to Florida and enjoying just being together.  His final days during hospice were spent with this small, sweet family unit.  Bill was delighted to become father-in-law to Matt and Ronald, and found joy in the new role of grandpa to Witt, John and Flynn.  He was filled with pride in their growth and accomplishments but loved them most for their unique personalities.  Bill and Rosemary enjoyed their retirement with many domestic and international trips, especially river cruises.

He is predeceased by his parents and sister, Nancy Hoffman and survived by his wife of 52 years, Rosemary (Wisnovsky) Hoffman, two daughters, Valerie Trantum (Matthew) and Cindy Bradford (Ronald), three beloved grandsons, William and John Trantum and Flynn Bradford.

A memorial service will take place this Saturday, March 26, at 3 p.m. at St. Timothy's Lutheran Church, Hendersonville, TN.  St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Fairfield, CT will also host a celebration of his life on Saturday, June 11.