Margaret Mae Hoffman, age 97, of Bloomington, Minnesota, and formerly Annandale, Minnesota, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, with family by her side at the Minnesota Masonic Home in Bloomington where she was a resident since 2021.
There are not enough words to convey about the life of Margaret and the impact she’s made on the lives of her children and the legacy she leaves with them.
Margaret was born the daughter of George and Janette (Gebhardt) Gehant on Sept. 2, 1927, in Clarkfield, Minnesota. She was the youngest of four children. She graduated from Clarkfield High School in 1945. From 1962-1977, Margaret raised her family in New Hope with a family cabin on Pleasant Lake in Annandale. In 1977, the family decided to move to Annandale, turning the cabin on Pleasant Lake into a year-round home.
Margaret was married twice and has four children. While her children were young, she was a stay-at-home mom until all were in school. For a time, she worked for various companies as a secretary, including many years at Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric in Maple Lake. In 1986, Margaret sold her home on Pleasant Lake and moved to Bloomington, Minnesota, where she opened a small business in Lohmann’s Plaza.
Margaret’s entrepreneurial spirit shone brightly during her years as a successful businesswoman in a time when such achievements were uncommon for women. She entered the tech/video industry with no prior experience in the field but a strong background in business management. Through her determination and adaptability, Margaret expanded her first business from an 800-square-foot space to over 8,000, seeing parallel growth in revenue. She opened a second store in Eden Prairie, turning it into another success. After selling her first businesses, she launched a video production venture in 1992, which thrived under her leadership. Margaret employed many individuals throughout her career and collaborated with local Bloomington businesses and national clients. One of her proudest accomplishments was overseeing the remarkable remodeling of her studio space, which became a sought-after location for its unique design, used by networks, corporations, and commercial enterprises alike. She continued this work until her retirement in 2005.
Margaret loved spending time with her family and friends. Her sense of humor, one liners, zingers and infectious laugh will always be remembered and missed by all. Margaret enjoyed traveling both domestically and internationally. She also was an avid movie buff, always found time to read, especially her Bible, and was active in various ministries at church her entire life.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Ardine M. Ness and Duane D. Hoffman; her three siblings, George Gehant Jr., Alice Gough, and Ward Gehant.
She is survived by her children and their spouses; David (Terrie) Hoffman of Squaw Lake, Sherrie LeCrone of Bloomington, Darwin (Leslie) Hoffman of South Haven and Scott (Nadiia) Hoffman of Bloomington. Ten grandchildren; Julie (Mikey), Jessica (Mike) and Tony, David (Char) and Zachary (Chelsae), Nathan (Janelle) and Adam (Elischeba), Ana, Treva and Maxwell; 10 great-grandchildren; Jacob, Trent, Aidan, Caleb and Becket, Bb, Juniper and Harbor, Parker and Presley; one great-great-grandchild; Ameila.
A graveside memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the Clarkfield Cemetery, Clarkfield, Minnesota.
Arrangements are by Lynner Funeral Home, Clarkfield, Minnesota.