Roma Hoff

Roma Hoff died peacefully at home on August 28, 2015 at age 89. Her life was highlighted by worldwide travel, leadership and cultural contributions in the field of world language education, commitment to her church and other favorite organizations, and dedication to her family. She was born on May 4, 1926 in Madison, WI to William and Esther (Hansen) Borst. She spent her childhood and adolescence in Brooklyn, WI, but through the books of adventurer Richard Halliburton she experienced travel vicariously. As a young girl she undertook a correspondence with his father, Wesley Halliburton, becoming his "adopted granddaughter" and enjoying a correspondence until his death at age 96. Roma graduated from Brooklyn High School in 1944 as class salutatorian and class president. During her freshman year at the University of Wisconsin – Madison she studied journalism, editing the weekly Brooklyn Teller newspaper and winning two Sigma Delta Chi journalism awards. Her passion then turned to Spanish after being introduced to the language and Hispanic cultures by such master teachers as Professors Lloyd Kasten, Eduardo Neale-Silva, Roberto Sánchez, and Luis Crespo. Early teaching experiences included serving as an undergraduate teaching assistant and teaching one year at Edgerton High School. Her graduate studies were also at UW – Madison, culminating in a PhD in Education and Spanish in 1956 and then work in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese as a lecturer. Roma's life in this period also included international travel and stints of living abroad. Her first two trips to Europe were to Spain, where she spent the summers of 1949 and 1950. Through a stroke of good fortune she was invited to serve as tour director for Eur-Cal Travel's (University of California – Berkeley) 88-day grand European tours during six summers, 1952 to 1957. She taught on the island of Aruba for Standard Oil between master's and doctoral studies, and she studied in Madrid in 1954-55 on a Fellowship from the Institute of International Education. In 1958 she was married to Donald E. Hoff, M.D. at St. Paul's University Chapel in Madison, WI and moved to Eau Claire, where her husband practiced at the Midelfort Clinic. Roma and Don were blessed with 57 years of marriage. In her initial years in Eau Claire she dedicated her time to her role as wife and mother of Peter, Anne, and Paul. When the children were older, the family began to travel, including memorable trips to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, and to Germany and Switzerland, where her husband shared his heritage and family connections. Roma enjoyed seeing her children study and live in other cultures. Peter teaches Spanish at UW – Whitewater, speaks many languages, and advises students on study abroad. Anne studied and worked in Japan for 15 years before moving to Maui, HI, and later Seattle, WA, where she practices Rolfing Structural Integration. Paul is Professor of Spanish at UW – Eau Claire and a veteran staff member at the Concordia Language Villages (Concordia College, Moorhead, MN). Roma took great pleasure in seeing Paul marry Nuria Ibarrechevea Deó of Spain, who also teaches Spanish at UW – Eau Claire; and she also welcomed into the family Peter's partner Paul Patenaude, whose international adventures include foreign medical missions and hiking the St. James pilgrimage routes in Spain and France. Roma's life was lit up by grandchildren Clara, Ana, and Alex, who nicknamed her "Nomi," and they too are growing up multicultural and multilingual. Roma hopes to be remembered in the Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum as "Wife of Don; Mother of Peter, Anne, and Paul; and Grandmother of Clara, Ana, and Alex." Roma returned to teaching Spanish at the then Wisconsin State University – Eau Claire in 1965. Besides teaching several generations of world language educators, she authored dozens of articles, gave papers and workshops, and had hundreds of color slides published. Starting in 1974 she organized Spanish Travel Seminars, the university's nearly annual offering for students and interested members of the community. These took participants on three-week summer trips through Spain, often including other locales such as Portugal, Morocco, France, and the Canary Islands. After first visiting Central America in 1975, she also nurtured growing interest in that region by organizing tours to Costa Rica, the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Belize. She helped establish the UW – Eau Claire study abroad program at the Universidad de Valladolid (Spain) and eight times directed the Madrid orientation for the groups. The trips Roma led were true cultural exchanges. Tour participants met the Hoffs' friends in these countries, visited their homes and shops, and got off the beaten path to experience the cultures close-up. Travel occurred in both directions, and the Hoff residence became home to people from many countries over the years as friends visited Eau Claire or came to UW – Eau Claire to perform – the case of Blanca Bartos, a Czechoslovakian lutenist; Joaquín Díaz, a Spanish guitarist and folk singer; and Feliciano y Salva, Spanish folk musicians. The depth of these exchanges intensified in 1986 when Roma was named cultural adviser for the first CAMPUS (Central American Program for Undergraduate Scholars) group of 16 young people from various countries in Central America who came to study at UW – Eau Claire. They were followed by four more groups, 72 students in all, who called Don "Papa Hoff" and Roma, well, just "Roma," which backwards spells amor – Spanish for "love." Roma was many times honored for the passion and dedication that characterized her career. In 1985 she was named Distinguished Foreign Language Educator of Wisconsin by the Wisconsin Association of Foreign Language Teachers (now Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers). In 1989 she received the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages – National Textbook Company award for developing Community Interest in Foreign Languages. In 1990 she was named Outstanding Teacher of Spanish – College-University Level by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. In 1991 she received the Founders Award of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. The UW-EC Center for International Education and the Honors Week Steering Committee honored her on campus, and the national office of Sigma Delta Pi, national Hispanic honor society, gave her its Premio de Mérito in 1992. In 1993 the North Central Council of Latinamericanists gave her its Award of Merit for Promoting an Awareness of the Countries, Peoples and Cultures of Latin America. In that same year she won UW – Eau Claire's Excellence in Teaching Award and subsequently was Grand Marshal of the Homecoming Parade, "cover girl" on The View and speaker at the August 1994 graduation. Roma served as adviser to the UW-EC chapter of Sigma Delta Pi for 30 years and the chapter won six national awards between 1987 and 1994. She saw 448 students initiated into the local chapter, which sponsored many cultural programs for the university and the community. While serving as President and Secretary of Phi Kappa Phi, she and Dr. Ormsby Harry were co-founders of Honors Week in 1972, and she remained active on the Steering Committee each year. She served again as President in 1999-2000. She was an honorary member of Alpha Lambda Delta, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Phi Eta Sigma (the men's freshman honor society). Roma was also active in various endeavors with her husband. The Hoffs were charter members of the Newman Parish, where Roma served as a reader for many years. Their long-time commitment to the Concordia Language Villages earned them a place on the National Advisory Board and the Soli Deo Gloria award. The road to the new Spanish Village has been named for her: Paseo de Roma. In 2000 Roma and Don were recognized for their lifetime of dedication to UW – Eau Claire international students. In retirement Roma continued to lead travel tours abroad (including seven Alumni Association cruises) and to travel with her husband and various family members. As foreign travel became unfeasible, she enjoyed hearing of the adventures of her children and grandchildren; participating in events closer to home at the Newman Parish and the Concordia Language Villages; and receiving visits from friends and former students. She felt that her life was a great trip! Mass of Christian Burial for Roma will take place at the Newman Parish (110 Garfield Avenue) at 12:00 noon on Saturday, September 5, 2015, with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. and special music at 11:40 a.m. Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral & Cremation Services is serving her family. To express condolences online, please visit obituaries at www.lenmarkfh.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Concordia Language Villages (for the "El Lago del Bosque Museo-Tienda fund"), 901 8th St. S., Moorhead, MN 56562, or the Roma Hoff Scholarship (Valladolid, Spain study) at the UW – Eau Claire Foundation, Schofield Hall 214, UW – Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI 54702.

Service Information

Visitation

Saturday, September 5 2015
10:00 AM - 11:40 AM

Newman Parish, at the Ecumenical Religious Center
110 Garfield Avenue
Eau Claire WI 54701

Mass of Christian Burial

Saturday, September 5 2015
12:00 PM

Newman Parish, at the Ecumenical Religious Center
110 Garfield Avenue
Eau Claire WI 54701