“Take time to smell the roses” 

Diane Joy Hoffman of Manchester, Missouri passed away on February 6, 2025, after turning 90 years young on  January 15, 2025. She was born in Omaha, Nebraska on January 15, 1935, to Edward Elton and Evelyn Emily Gray (nee Beck). Preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 41 years Kenneth (Kenny) Lee Hoffman at the age of  82 in October 2009, and her younger sister and lone sibling, Myra Anne Kramer at the age of 80 in June 2019.  

After high school, Diane married Daniel Joseph Brown. They had 3 children — Karla Anne Brown (born in Florida), and twins Michele Elaine Downs and Michael Edward Brown (born in Missouri). In 1968, Diane remarried Kenny  Hoffman, who had 6 children of his own including daughter Jeri Amendola. Diane and Kenny had one child  together, Amy Joy Hoffman (born in Missouri). Kenny was truly the love of her life, and Diane was calling out to  him through her final days. 

Diane wore many hats throughout her lifetime. She had remained a working mother until retirement. She was a  bookkeeper working for Bettendorf’s , General Cable and Stupp Bros. Bridge & Iron Company. She enjoyed her  work life yet knew how to juggle the work/life balance. She even had time for crocheting/knitting and crafting  during the winter months in Missouri. However, the other times of the year were always cherished outdoors.  Diane truly knew what it meant to smell the roses, daffodils, moch orange, lilacs and all the other flowers in her  gardens, as she had a green thumb to show for all her time well spent. Another hat she wore was a devoted fan of  her beloved St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. She would become so happy during the wins and remain faithful  after the losses. She also had a lifelong love of fury friends acquired in part from her parents who owned/showed  Dachshunds. Her fury friends included Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Poodles. Other interests  included photography, reading, genealogy, movie buff, and listening to music.   

Diane was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She always  exhibited empathy and care for others despite her own issues and needs. In caring for family members and  friends, she discovered she would have enjoyed a nursing career.  

Similarly, this wonderful woman was greatly cared for in her later years by her son, Michael, and her niece, Lori  Shultz. During that time, she also so enjoyed outings and visits with Lori’s husband Karl Schultz, niece Lisa Young  and nephews John Jung and Joe Jung, as well as visits and telephone calls with her daughter Michele and son-in law Michael Downs, travels to California for the weddings of her granddaughters Sarah Downs to Zachary Malone in September 2023 and Emily Downs to Brayden Porter in June 2024, telephone and Facetime calls with her son’s  partner Wayne Witzig, telephone calls with her stepdaughter Jeri and son-in-law Vincent Amendola, telephone  and Facetime calls with her daughter Karla, her 90th birthday celebration with ice cream cake organized by her  daughter Amy, and visits and telephone calls with her longtime 91 years young neighbor Jerry Williams and his  daughters Debbie and Michelle.  

She had a deep faith in God which, among other things, included a sense of humility and gratitude, a love of  gospel music, and ending each day through prayer.  

Although Diane is gone and greatly missed, she will live in our hearts forever.  

A celebration of life with family and friends will be planned at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her honor to (i) Mercy Hospice South – de Greeff Hospice  House, 10024 Kennerly Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63128, or (ii) Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard,  St. Louis, Missouri 63110.