James Eagan Hof of Cary, North Carolina, formerly of Cape Coral, Florida and Bowling Green, Ohio, passed away on July 7, 2019 from complications of a stroke. Jim was born on June 28, 1925 in Boscobel, Wisconsin. He was the son of Samuel Michael Hof and Agnes Ruth Hof.
Jim attended East Rockford High School where he was senior class president and recognized as the Outstanding ROTC Senior Cadet.
Following high school, Jim was drafted into the United States Navy and served during World War II in the Philippine Islands. He received the Philippine Liberation Medal.
After his naval service, he attended Bowling Green State University receiving both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Speech Communications and Business Administration. He met his wife, Joyce Hull Stockdale as an undergraduate and they married on June 12, 1950.
After graduation, he worked as a Sales Manager for the Sunbeam Corporation for six years. He returned to Bowling Green State University where he became Director of Admissions and an Instructor of Speech. While at Bowling Green he served as Director of University Relations, Alumni Director, and Vice President for Development, Alumni and Athletic Programs.
His passion for Bowling Green Athletics began in college when he traveled with the basketball team to broadcast games back to campus. Students gathered in the Union to listen to games. While at Bowling Green he was instrumental in creating the Falcon Club and was the “Voice of the Falcons” as a public address announcer for both football and basketball.
Jim loved both BGSU and the city of Bowling Green and served as a school board representative for eight years. He created a task force to address “Town and Gown” relations and he was also involved in local real estate as a broker for Newlove Realty.
Following his retirement in 1981 he moved to Cape Coral, Florida. He was Vice President of Captran Resorts International for a year before he became Director of University Relations and Development at University of South Florida at Fort Myers. Jim enjoyed the warm south Florida weather and became active in many organizations and his church. He moved to Cary, North Carolina in 2016 to spend time with family.
Jim was predeceased by his parents, his wife Joyce Stockdale Hof, his second wife, Claire Palmquist Hof, and his two brothers, Robert and John. He is survived by his children Christopher (Vicki), Cathy Hof Karr (David), Tom (Gretchen), Bob (Carol) and Ann Hof Kepke (Mark). He enjoyed his grandchildren and great grandchildren, Zachary, Christopher, Chelsea, Melissa, Sam, Lauren, Amanda, Andy, Brett, Adam, James, Kennedy, Penny, Isaac, Natalie, and Zechariah.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be privately held at St. Thomas More with burial to follow at Oak Grove Cemetery in Bowling Green where full military honors will be rendered by the Wood County Honor Detail. A public Celebration of Life gathering will be announced at a later date. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Dunn Funeral Home in Bowling Green.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Joyce S. Hof scholarship fund at Bowling Green State University.
To share a condolence or a fond memory with the Hof family, please visit www.dunnfuneralhome.com.
