Richard "Dick" Hoffman grew up on a farm in Remington, VA. He worked as a mechanical engineer during his career. WWII mechanic at the Naval Yard in Washington, DC. HVAC mechanic for General Services Administration at the Pentagon and CIA Headquarters.
He was a guy who could build and fix anything. His home garage was his sanctuary. After WWII he and his wife Doris purchased three acres in Fairfax, VA where he spent his weekends building a house for his family while holding down a job in downtown WDC during the week. Sadly, shortly after it was finished, and the many vegetable gardens were in place, it was "taken" by eminent domain to build a freeway entry for the new Rt 66. Subsequently, they moved to a small tract neighborhood where they stayed until his death.
As a young man he loved to roller skate, which was very popular at the time. He met his wife, Doris, at a rink that was situated where the Kennedy Center now exists. They loved the action and music. During their honeymoon the skates traveled with them for visits to out of town rinks.
He loved to travel and explore. He and his family spent many fun years with an ever increasing larger camper trailer visiting National Parks, beaches, and recreational areas all over the East Coast and Upper Mid-West of the USA - from Maine to Florida, Michigan to Virginia. He always fit in a visit to an interesting manufacturing facility curious to watch how things area made. One year he and his wife drove their camper north from Virginia, across the Canadian border states, and down the entire West Coast, then returned to Virginia. During retirement they were members of two RV clubs that met at as a group sharing campfire stories and potluck meals with friends.
Dick liked to spend time with his grandchildren. His favorite tv shows were Westerns. His favorite music was country music that kept him company in the garage. He was the person that the neighbors turn to for help when the snow needed plowing (he had the only snow blower around), fix their broken lawn mower, car wouldn't start, or just come to chat in the garage. 35