Thomasine Hoffman, 91, passed away in peace at her Elmhurst home on December 19, 2024.
Born March 12, 1933 in Chicago to Emil and Jessie Garippo, through her gentle smiling spirit and sweet startling humor, Tommye radiated her happy warmth to family, friends and all.
Raised in a poor but tightly bonded Italian neighborhood, Tommye graduated DePaul University to pursue her passion to teach.
She taught grade school full time before devoting herself to her growing family, while continuing to substitute teach. And every day she offered lessons in selfless kindness to all around her out of the caring and sympathetic way she lived.
Tommye rarely talked about herself except in fun. She focused on others. She wanted to know how you were doing — whether one of her children, a neighbor, or someone behind her at the Jewel.
She loved playing piano and volunteered at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital for many years. Tommye looked forward to Bingo and blackjack with her neighbors and visits and travel with family and friends, including winters in Florida and a road trip last summer to Graceland.
Tommye was married nearly 70 years to her beloved Wayne, who passed away last year. She was loving mother to Mary Jo (Mike) Mikottis, Joe (Julie), Andy (Jon Cole), and John; cherished grandmother of Alex (Sara) Williams-Hoffman, great-grandmother of Henry Hoffman, and fond aunt of many nieces and nephews.
A visitation was held on Sunday, December 22, 2024 at Elmhurst Community Funeral Home – THE AHLGRIM CHAPEL, 567 S. Spring Rd. Elmhurst, IL 60126. Funeral Services were held Monday, December 23, 2024 at 9 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by a procession to Visitation Catholic Church, 779 South York St. Elmhurst, IL 60126, for a Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 10 a.m. Interment Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Hillside, IL.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations may be made to Trinity Missions, https://trinitymissions.org/.
Arrangements in care of Elmhurst Community Funeral Home – THE AHLGRIM CHAPEL. For info, (630) 834-3515 or www.ElmhurstFH.com.