The Honorable George B. Hoffman, Jr., a former Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of Indiana, passed away on December 25, 2009. A public memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2010, at 2 p.m. at the Bartlett Chapel United Methodist Church, 4396 East Main Street, Avon, Indiana, 46123.

Judge Hoffman graduated from Hammond High School, Hammond, Indiana. From January 1943 through April 1947, he served as a combat infantryman in the 102nd Infantry Division. He was wounded in Germany and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Judge Hoffman attended Muskingum College and Valparaiso University where he received his J.D. in 1951. He was admitted to the Indiana bar in June of the same year. He was the senior partner in the firm of Royce, Hoffman and Huebner in Hammond, Indiana until his 1968 election as a judge of the Indiana Appellate Court, as it was then known. Judge Hoffman served as the Indiana Appellate Court’s Presiding Justice for the 1970 Term and as Chief Justice for the 1971 Term. From 1972-1974, he served as the first Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of Indiana. As Chief Judge, he began the Court of Appeals’ program that takes appellate oral arguments out of the State House in Indianapolis to be heard at schools, universities, county governments, and civic organizations across the state.

Recognizing Judge Hoffman’s accomplishments, Chief Judge John G. Baker of the Court of Appeals of Indiana reflected: “For almost 41 years our Court was blessed by Judge Hoffman’s dedication and service. He has affected generations of young lawyers and judges in Indiana and beyond. Although he will be absent in person, we know that his spirit of commitment will endure.”

Judge Hoffman was a strong proponent of legal education for judges and accessibility of the judiciary to the public. He attended numerous judicial conferences, including: the Appellate Judges’ Seminar at New York University School of Law and the Tri-State Appellate Judges’ Seminar in East Lansing, Michigan. He was one of 35 federal and state appellate judges invited to participate in the State-Federal Appellate Judges’ Conference in Washington, D.C. He was a graduate of the Indiana Judicial College. Judge Hoffman was a guest lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and the keynote speaker for the 52nd Annual Convention of the Indiana State Council of Carpenters. He frequently addressed bar associations and civic organizations.

Judge Hoffman was a past-President of the Hammond Bar Association, a past-President and a founding member of the Legal Aid Society of Greater Hammond, a past-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Indiana Judges’ Retirement System, a member of the American Bar Association, a member of the Indiana State Bar Association, serving as a delegate for 30 years, and a member of the Indianapolis Bar Association. Judge Hoffman was a member of Sigma Delta Kappa Law Fraternity and Pi Gamma Mu National Social Science Honor Society.

Judge Hoffman was a member of the American Legion, Post 16, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 3029, and Disabled American Veterans, all of Hammond, Indiana.

Judge Hoffman was active in Boy Scouts of America, American Red Cross, the Y.M.C.A., and Connor Prairie. He received the Man of the Year award from the Knights of St. Peter Claver, Assembly #14, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Legal Aid Society of Greater Hammond recognized Judge Hoffman with a distinguished service award. He was awarded an outstanding service award from the Crown Point Community School Corporation. He received an award for exceptional contribution to the legal profession from the East Chicago Bar Association. He was recognized by the Indiana Judicial Center and the Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis for developing judicial education seminars as a precursor to the Indiana Judicial Center. Judge Hoffman received various awards from the Hammond Junior Chamber of Commerce and a Sagamore of the Wabash from six Indiana governors. In 2008, Judge Hoffman was named the Indiana Bar Foundation’s Legendary Lawyer for his 57 years of dedicated service to the legal profession. The Indiana Bar Foundation established the Honorable George B. Hoffman, Jr. Endowed Fund to which the Valparaiso University School of Law was the first contributor.

Judge Hoffman was the first judge of the Court of Appeals of Indiana to author 2,000 opinions, a milestone he reached in October, 1989. Prior to his retirement in 1998, he authored more than 3,000 opinions and participated in over 9,000 appeals. After his retirement and until his death, he served as a Senior Judge on the Court of Appeals.

Doug Church, senior partner in Church, Church, Hittle & Antrim, a past-President of the Indiana State Bar Association, and Judge Hoffman’s first law clerk said: “The untimely death of George B. Hoffman, Jr. is a tremendous personal loss for his family and friends but also a loss for our state, our judiciary and the entire legal community. Judge Hoffman was plainspoken, loyal to his friends, honest to a fault and a credit to his family, his community and his colleagues. He never hesitated to confront difficult issues. His written opinions were clear and instructive. His work ethic was remarkable. His service to his country, his state and his family and friends was heroic and generous.” Echoing Chief Judge Baker’s sentiments, Mr. Church added: “There will be so many places and events that will serve as reminders of the Judge and he will be sorely missed by all of us who came under his influence. I consider myself a very lucky person to have known him, and I will never forget him.”

Judge Hoffman was one of three children born to George B. Hoffman and Mary L. Hoffman. As a child, he moved with his family from Pennsylvania to Hammond, Indiana. He married Margaret (Cross) Hoffman and had five sons: Dean, Dale, Karl, Kent, and Kurt. After Margaret’s passing, Judge Hoffman married Louise E. Scudder Hoffman. Judge Hoffman is survived by his wife, Louise, his children, ten grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.