Jeanne (Jean) Marie Hofmann Sorensen was born on May 27,1944 to parents Carl B. and Margaret H. Hofmann in Portland, Oregon. She was also welcomed by older sister and brother, Carol, and Carl A. Hofmann. She passed away peacefully in the presence of members of her family and her lifelong best friend on March 23, 2024, at Mt Hood Medical Center in Gresham, Oregon at the age of 79.
Jeanne grew up in Portland. A close-knit family, the Hofmann’s spent plenty of time around grandparents from both their mother’s and their father’s sides. Gatherings often centered around celebrating their Swiss heritage. Memories made while preparing some of the sweet treats from Switzerland remained favorites of Jeanne’s her entire life. These may have been the root of her sweet tooth! Camping and fishing trips with close family friends were regular occurrences. Those trips created an extended clan of extra sisters who stayed part of one another’s lives for over seven decades.
She spent her elementary years at Russellville School, which sat conveniently right next to the family home. The neighborhood had numerous families that created long lasting connections. Many of those neighbors joined the Hofmann children at David Douglas High School, where Jeanne graduated in 1962. During high school she forged and nurtured friendships that endured for her entire 79 years. After high school, she attended Portland State University. She received her teaching degree from PSU in 1969. Her education continued with a Master’s Degree from Linfield University in 1978.
The early 1970’s brought marriage and the beginning of a teaching career in California. She settled in Santa Maria on the central coast, initially teaching kindergarten, before moving to Orcutt Junior High School and the English Department. She divorced in the mid-1980’s, but OJHS was home for Mrs. Sorensen by then. She remained in Santa Maria, as one of the students’ favorite teachers, molding young minds, and enjoying the personalities of the 7th and 8th graders in spite of the challenges that age group can sometimes bring. Encouraging them through trials, and celebrating each success, she was very proud of the positive influence she was able to be in their worlds. She embraced social media where many of her former students later reached out to her. Seeing their lives as adults truly warmed her heart. Getting to teach any of her past students’ children took that joy to a whole new level.
Retirement in 2004 was bittersweet. Jeanne returned to her native Portland area and settled in Gresham. Excited to be back with her family, she was also disappointed to leave behind students, staff, and friends whom she loved dearly. As she had done her whole life, she maintained relationships with letters, cards, emails, and phone calls. Those friendships thrived. People mattered in her world. She cherished the bonds she had with others and put in more effort than most to keep those bonds solid. If she loved you, you felt it. She made certain of that.
Throughout her life, Jeanne was active with golf, racquetball, bowling, and running. Her love of travel took her to many parts of the US, and Canada, along with numerous locations in Europe. She cruised to Alaska and down the St. Lawrence River. She relished trips to the theme parks of California, the beaches of Oregon, and the waterfall areas of the Columbia Gorge. She put together numerous albums documenting her travels. Every adventure shared with her closest friends and relatives. Each experience filled with awe and laughter. If you were privileged enough to tag along, you were constantly entertained. With Jeanne, there was always amusement. Laughter was key in her existence. It was, as she often said, “The best medicine”. For her, it surely was, especially later in life as her health kept her from many of her treasured activities.
Jeanne will be remembered for her excellent sense of humor, incredible loyalty, love of crossword puzzles, reading, Snickers bars, everything Disney, movies, music, teddy bears, dragonflies, angels, desserts, the Dallas Cowboys, the original Magnum PI, and her beloved cats. The mischievous twinkle in her eye and quick smile will be very missed by all who love her.
Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her sister, Carol Jensen (Lynn), brother Carl Hofmann (Jane), nephews David Hofmann (Sara), Dennis Hofmann (Dominique), Aaron Jensen (Teressa), nieces Karen Walchli, Jennifer Jensen, Heidi Yates (Steve), 13 great nieces and nephews, 10 great-great nieces and nephews, bonus sisters Cheryl, Linda and Jeannie Baecher, best friends Sandy Davis and Rita Oberhoffer, along with many other special friends whom she considered family.
Those interested in making donations in memory of Jeanne could do so to her favorite charities, which included breast cancer foundations, St Jude, Al-Anon, or any organization that supports animals.