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NEW ULM -Gregory L. Hoffmann, 55, of rural New Ulm, died Sunday, June 28, 2009 at the North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 2 at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in New Ulm with Monsignor John A. Richter celebrating the Mass. Burial will follow in the New Ulm Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be 3 8 p.m. on Wednesday and from 7:30 10:30 a.m. on Thursday at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm. The St. John's Catholic Order of Foresters and the St. Joseph Catholic Aid will pray the rosary at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.

To leave an online condolence or to sign the guestbook go to, www.mvfh.org.

Greg is survived by his wife, Carita Hoffmann of rural New Ulm; mother, Elayne Hoffmann of New Ulm sisters and brother-in-law, Patricia and David Sperl of rural Nicollet, Jeanne Sellner and special friend, Lester Zwach of New Ulm; brothers and sister-in-law, Ronald Hoffmann of Rochester, William and Christine Hoffmann of rural New Ulm; mother-in-law, Val Simmet of Lafayette Assisted Living;sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Mary Lou and Craig Baumbach of Des Moines, Iowa; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Greg and Ann Simmet of rural New Ulm; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins; and his dog, Boomer.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents; father, Leo C. Hoffmann; brother, Gerald "Fritz" Hoffmann and infant brother Joseph Hoffmann; father-in-law, Art Simmet.

Gregory Leo Hoffmann was born on March 12, 1954 to Leo C. and Elayne (Bianchi) Hoffmann in New Ulm.

He attended Country School in Sigel Township until the 8th grade. Then went to school in New Ulm and was a 1972 graduate of New Ulm Public High School. On Aug. 16, 1980 he was united in marriage to Carita Simmet at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in New Ulm. Greg drove truck for Gene Schugel, George Forst, with his handle being "Animal", gravel truck for Hoffmann Construction, was a mechanic at Potter's Implement, Brown County Implement, drove school bus for 20 plus years, startingon bus #1and was currently driving bus #6 and was a farmer.

He loved old time music, playing the concertina, his farm, spring planting and fall harvest, farm animals, working on and renovating 2 cylinder tractors, teaching others what he knew about mechanics, welding and manufacturing tools. Greg was very particular about his farm and his machinery. He washed, and waxed his equipment before he went in to the field and when he put them away for the winter. Greg believed that when he fixed someone's tractor, that it would be in great working condition when it left his shop.

Greg's Sunday routine was, 8 a.m. Mass at church, breakfast, nap, then out to the shop for old time music and afternoon visitors, then pizza for supper.

Greg's comment on a new purchase, such as a tool, equipment, etc., he would justify it by saying, "I don't hunt, fish, golf or travel." When in his shop, Greg talked a lot with Jesus and he kept telling Jesus that "I've been blessed and that I have everything." Greg told anyone who was going to drive a tractor, "needed to be John Deere Certified." One of his mottos was, "what's right is right and what's wrong is wrong."

Greg looked forward to Carita's retirement, so they could continue the farming operation, working side-by-side.

Greg was a member of Cathedral, an Usher at church, the first President and one of the organizer of the Prairie Land Flywheelers 2 cylinder club, 1972 President of the FFA at New Ulm High School, St. John's Catholic Order of Foresters, St. Joseph Catholic Aid and the Essig Baseball board.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials be given to New Ulm Area Catholic Schools and Cathedral.

Greg will definitely be missed, blessed be his memory.

www.mvfh.org