LaVelle Baltimore Hofrichter 1930 - 2021

LaVelle Hofrichter was born September 9, 1930, in Marshfield, Oregon, now known as Coos Bay. She was the only child of Loyal and Vera Baltimore. Her home at birth was Reedsport, Oregon. At the age of five, the family moved to North Bend, Oregon. In 1939, Rose Lodge, Oregon, became their home. She attended a two-room schoolhouse, completing grades 4 and 5 and half-term in the sixth grade. The year was 1942 when the family moved to Willamina, Oregon. There, LaVelle completed her elementary and high school education, graduating in 1948 from Willamina High School.

For a brief time after graduating, she worked in the office of Associated Plywood Mill. In the fall of 1950, she started attending Linfield College and received her B.A. in Music Education in 1957. In between those years, she married Richard L. Hofrichter on December 22, 1951, and had their first child, Cynthia, in February 1957. In the fall of that year, she taught music at Adams Elementary School in the afternoon and continued her studies at Linfield in the morning.

McMinnville, Oregon, was their home. In 1959, their second child, Gregory Alan, arrived followed by their daughter, Adele Marie, in 1960. In 1961, the family moved to White Sulphur Springs, Montana, and spent seven months there before returning to McMinnville. Upon returning to McMinnville, LaVelle acquired her master’s degree from Linfield College and resumed her teaching career, five years at Lafayette Grade School and 18 years at Carlton Elementary School. During this time, two more children joined the family, Denise Annette in 1964, and Brian Keith in 1968.

LaVelle was not only a homemaker, a teacher, an organist for a number of local churches, but in 1966 she learned the trials of farming. At that time, she and Richard purchased a small farm. With the help of the entire family, they farmed the land, harvested walnuts and raised cattle and sheep. Small farming moved to a larger scale with acquired rental land. LaVelle learned to meet the new challenge, learned to drive tractors and grain trucks and became the best “go  for." In 1988, LaVelle retired from her teaching career. Richard had retired from his accounting practice, so now they both had a little more free time. Some of that time was spent traveling: two trips abroad, many U.S. state ventures, and a Caribbean cruise. LaVelle has had a full and happy life.

For a number of years, she was active in the American Guild of Organists and the McMinnville Lioness Club. She was an active member of the McMinnville Senior Organization and  McMinnville United Methodist Church. Her greatest joy was the love she shared with her family: her husband, five adult children, 10 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. They were her life.

A graveside service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 24, at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Doernbecher Hospital or your charity of choice. To leave condolences, please visit www.macyandson.com.