Wilburn Hood Hoffman's Obituary
Iowa, Kingsley – Wilburn Hood Hoffman, 90, of Kingsley, Iowa, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, November 26, 2011. He was born October 23, 1921, in Bellville Texas, to the late Herbert Frederick and Maude Blanche Hoffman. He was employed by Union Carbide for 37 years as a chemical engineer at plants in the U.S., Europe, and Brazil. He retired from the UCC petrochemical plant at Seadrift, Texas in 1984. He was an active Lutheran and served as elder, trustee and Bible teacher and also taught Adult Bible Class, Men’s Bible Class, and delivered Children’s Sermons for the First United Methodist Church of Donna, Texas. He was a member of American Mensa, Ltd., American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Alpha Chi Sigma Chemical fraternity and a registered professional engineer in Texas and West Virginia. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Texas A& I (Texas A&M-Kingsville) in 1943, he accepted a scholarship to MIT as research assistant in the Chemical Engineering Department. Research was directed mainly to improving the effectiveness of our military in World War II. A Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering was received from MIT in 1946. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, June Elaine Cate Hoffman, on February 9, 2005. He was blessed to remarry at the age of 88 and is survived by his wife Bernice Glauberg Hoffman and her two daughters he cherished, Yvonne (Frank) Gunther, and Dianne (Daryl) Mayfield. He is also survived by his daughter Elizabeth (Wayne) Tucker; three grandsons, Alexander (Laura) Smith; Johannes Smith; and John P. Smith, Jr.; one great-granddaughter, Bethany Lee Smith; two sisters, Martha Barbee and Maude (G.E.) James; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Herbert Charles Hoffman, Adolf A.G. Hoffman and sister, Mary Sims. Services and burial will be held at Memphis Memorial Park on November 30 at 11:30 a.m. His daughter, Rev. Elizabeth Tucker, will officiate. Memorial Park Funeral Home, “Behind the stone wall”, 901-767-8930. Condolences may be offered at www.MemorialParkOnline.com
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