Mary Helen Hoff

Mary Helen Perreault Hoff, age 84, departed this earthly realm and joined her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. She was born on March 20, 1931 in River Rouge, Michigan to the late Alzyre Perreault and Helene Perreault.

Mary attended elementary and high school in Michigan before spreading her wings and traveling the United States and abroad. Her adventurous spirit and strong Roman Catholic faith took her on a cruise to Rome to see the Pope before landing in Pensacola where she found true love with her future husband Michael, a naval aviator.

As a military wife, Mary raised a growing family in Florida, California and Texas before arriving in Jacksonville, Florida. When her husband was shot down and declared missing in action on January 7, 1970 while on a combat mission during the Vietnam war, she found herself in the forefront of a movement aimed at ensuring those who served this great Nation were not forgotten.

Mary greatly influenced the creation of one of the most recognized symbols in America – the POW/MIA flag. Her tireless efforts to promote this cause resulted in receipt of the coveted Eve Award in 1973 in recognition of her volunteer work, which paved the way for similar efforts in the Persian Gulf wars.

Family and friends were Mary’s love and joy. When she passed the torch regarding the POW/MIA movement, Mary moved on to the next phase of her devotion to her fellow man – organizing and serving in a soup kitchen at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in downtown Jacksonville. She also found herself caring for one of her children who developed a serious medical condition. Her faith and energy knew no bounds and remained with her to her final days on this earth. Mary’s affect on those around her made everyone feel they were in the presence of someone special and the impact made them better people themselves. To say she will be missed is an understatement.

Mary is survived by her brother, Robert Perreault; daughter Suzanne, sons Michael, Robert, Charles, and Joseph; son-in-law Junichiro, daughters-in-law Angela, Lisa and Terri; and grandchildren Brooke, Sophia, Helen, Yuji, Therese, Sakura, Ian, Michael, Dominic, and Genevieve.

The family wishes to thank all of those who cared for Mary over the past several years.

A visitation will be held from 6-8 PM Monday, November 16, 2015 at HARDAGE-GIDDENS RIVERMEAD FUNERAL HOME, 127 Blanding Blvd Orange Park, FL and funeral service is 11 AM on Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at St. Catherine's of Siena Catholic Church, 1649 Kingsley Ave Orange Park, FL. A reception will follow the funeral mass and interment will be at Jacksonville National Cemetery that afternoon. Please leave words of comfort at www.hardage-giddensrivermead.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the following organizations:

Catholic Relief Services

228 W. Lexington St.

Baltimore, Maryland 21201-3443

http://www.crs.org/

Wounded Warrior Project

4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300

Jacksonville, Florida 32256

CFC #11425

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

National Parkinson Foundation

200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800

Miami, Florida 33131

http://www.parkinson.org/