Lee Hoffer

Lee Hoffer, MD, PhD, age 84, of Temple was welcomed on Earth on March 6, 1935 and welcomed into heaven on Friday, April 26, 2019. A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm Thursday, May 2, 2019 at Temple Bible Church Creekside Center with Rev. Chase Bowers officiating. The family will receive visitors from 6-8:00pm Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home.

John Lee Hoffer was born in Ashland, Kansas to the late Morris Carroll Hoffer and Elena Mae Parkes Hoffer. He graduated from Longview High School. He then attended LeTourneau University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He married Paula Hensarling on August 4, 1956 in Port Arthur, Texas and soon after received his Bachelor of Bible from Tennessee Temple University. Lee worked at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama from 1957-1967 where he worked with the Saturn V rocket. Later, he received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by his MD in anesthesiology, also from UNC. He was an anesthesiologist for 30 years, retiring from Scott & White Hospital in 2009, where he also enjoyed teaching young residents at Texas A&M School of Medicine.  

Lee loved his numerous mission trips where he ministered to the spiritual needs of people and teamed up with other doctors to address medical needs including the repairing of cleft palates. He also arranged for donations of equipment to be sent and used by hospitals in various countries.

He was a member of Gideons International for over 60 years, distributing New Testaments to school children and university graduates. Also, he placed bibles in numerous motels and doctor’s offices. Knowing that the Word would not return void, when he and Paula travelled, he happily gave anyone a copy of the New Testament with a few words of encouragement.

Lee also enjoyed home remodeling and all things construction related as well as inventing medical devices that would streamline things in the operating room. He ministered to many medical students by hosting bible studies in his home. Lee was a member of Temple Bible Church and served as an elder for many years. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Bob Hoffer; and by his son Mike’s best friend and business partner, Craig Yarnell.

Survivors include his loving wife of 62 years, Paula Hoffer of Temple; two sons, Mike Hoffer and wife Terri of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Phil Hoffer and wife Kathy of Columbus, Ohio; a brother, Earl Hoffer and wife Janice of Pampa, Texas; sister-in-law, Irene Hoffer of Seattle, Washington; grandchildren, Lindsey Hoffer, Leah Soto, Luke Hoffer, Jake Hoffer and Molly Hoffer; and a great grandson, James Hoffer.

Memorials be given in Dr. Hoffer’s name to Gideons International, c/o Temple Camp, P.O. Box 1023, Belton, Texas 76513 or to Temple Bible Church, Missions Fund, 3205 Oakview Dr., Temple, Texas 76502.