Charles J. Hofsass

He was born February 7, 1933, in The Bronx borough of New York City. He was the only child born of Charles and Pauline Schwarz Hofsass.

At the time of his birth our country was coming to grips with the grim reality of the Great Depression, and Mr. Hofsass learned at an early age the value of education and the dignity of labor. Extraordinarily self-motivated he worked to put himself through college, and he graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Mr. Hofsass moved to Youngstown, Ohio, where he began working with a newly formed restaurant business. Along with the Raffel brothers, Mr. Hofsass opened the first Arby’s location in Youngtown, Ohio in 1964. He served as Director of Quality Control for the company for many years, eventually relocating to Mississippi to establish several Arby’s locations. Following his “semi-retirement” he remained actively involved with the locations that he owned.

In his free time Mr. Hofsass enjoyed gardening and landscaping, and he took great pride in the beautiful lawn of his Crossgates West home.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Ann Sullivan Hofsass; and sons, Charles J. Hofsass, Jr., and Christopher Hofsass.

Survivors include daughter, Mary Ann McFarland and husband William; sons, Bill Hofsass, John Hofsass and wife Beverly, and Edward Hofsass and wife Kelly; eleven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 10:00am until 11:00am, Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl. Funeral services will follow at 11:00am in the funeral home chapel. Mr. Hofsass will be interred beside his beloved wife, Barbara, at the Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers the Hofsass family requests memorials to Community Animal Rescue and Adoption at carams.org.