-- Joe Holley Thursday, June 18, 2009

D.C. Educator, Principal of Capitol Page School

John C. "Jack" Hoffman, 86, a retired principal of the
Capitol Page School who was also a baseball umpire
and youth coach, died June 3 at Charlotte Hall (Md.)
Veterans Home of complications of Alzheimer's
disease.

Mr. Hoffman, a Marlow Heights resident, had been
principal of an alternative junior-senior high school for
boys in the District and at the city's Hine Middle
School before becoming principal of the Capitol
Page School in 1968. Young men, and later women,
too, went to school from 6 to 10 in the morning
before beginning their daily duties as pages in the
House and Senate.

After his retirement in 1984, the school split in two -- one school for House pages and
one for Senate pages.

During the summer, he worked for the D.C. Department of Recreation. As a coach of
youth baseball, football and basketball, his teams traveled to 12 states and captured 33
titles. In 1973, his Prince George's County baseball team for 15-year-olds won the World
Series of Babe Ruth Baseball at Manchester, N.H.

He umpired Atlantic Coast Conference and Mason-Dixon Conference college baseball,
as well as high school and semiprofessional baseball. He also umpired the annual game
between Democratic and Republican lawmakers. He was a five-time president of the
Metropolitan Baseball Umpires Association and editor of the group's monthly newsletter,
the Indicator.

John Charles Hoffman was born in the District. He attended
Gonzaga College High
School
before graduating from Eastern High School in 1941.

During World War II, he served in a field artillery battalion in Europe, North Africa and the
Middle East. He received the Purple Heart for wounds received near Vallecupa, Italy, in
1944, and spent a year at Walter Reed Army Medical Center recovering from his
wounds and malaria.

He received a bachelor's degree from George Washington University in 1948 and a
master's degree in guidance and personnel from the University of Maryland in 1951. He
went to work for the District public schools and was a vocational education teacher at
Kramer Middle School and at Anacostia High School's night school for 10 years before
being named vice principal at Sousa Middle School.

He was honored by the D.C. Bar Association for his booklet and instructional unit, "But
Your Honor I Didn't Know," which explained the law as it relates to juveniles. He also
lectured extensively on juvenile delinquency.

Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Mary Pauline Rollman Hoffman of Marlow Heights;
four children, Colleen Woodard of Fairfax Station, Darlene Charles of Palmyra, Va.,
Kathleen Nelson of Hollis, N.H., and John W. Hoffman of Marlow Heights; a brother; six
grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

HOFFMAN JOHN CHARLES HOFFMAN "Jack" On Wednesday, June 3, 2009.
Beloved husband of Mary P. Hoffman; father of Colleen Woodard, Darlene (Woody
Landers) Charles, Kathleen (Gary) Nelson and John W. Hoffman; brother of William "Bill"
Hoffman; grandfather of Kristin Walsh, Courtney Spears, Jessica Coffey, Garrett Nelson,
Dani Proctor and Jennifer Small. He is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren, many
other relatives and friends.

Relatives and friends are invited to Mr. Hoffman''s Life Celebration at Holy Family
Catholic Church, 2200 Callaway St., Hillcrest Heights, MD on Saturday, June 6 from 9:30
a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m.

Interment St. Mary of Sorrow Historic Church Cemetery, Fairfax Station, VA at
approximately 12:30 p.m.

Contributions may be made in his memory to the Prince George''s County Boys & Girls
Club, 7833 Walker Dr., Greenbelt, MD 20770. Please sign the guestbook at:
www.KalasFuneralHomes.com
John Charles Hoffman

John C. "Jack" Hoffman was
also a baseball umpire and
youth baseball, football and
basketball coach. (Family
Photo)
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