BT Staff / Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Retired BMA Pastor/Missouri Baptist Editor Dies

James Edwin Hoffman passed away Jan. 14. He surrendered to preach in August 1961 and was ordained in November 1962. After graduating from Central Baptist College in 1965, he pastored churches in Missouri, Michigan and Arkansas, including Mount Olive Baptist Church in Guy and Calvary Baptist Church in Heber Springs. He served as an interstate missionary to Alaska beginning in 1970. In 1988, he began serving as pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Overland, Mo., his childhood church, where he served until his retirement in 2015. He was active and served in many offices in the BMA of America. He also served as editor of The Missouri Missionary Baptist paper for 33 years.

Survivors include: his wife, Mary (Weaver) Hoffmann; one son, Jim (Laura) Hoffmann of Searcy; two daughters, Jamie (Darrell) Eye of Highland Village, Texas and Jana (Matt) Hauk of Wentzville, Mo; two sisters, Minnie Gillam and Mary Shults; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

A celebration of his life was held on Jan. 18 at Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Jonesboro, with interment at Bishop Cemetery in Jonesboro, under the direction of Ortmann-Stipanovich Funeral Home (osfuneralhomes.com).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Camp Garwood, c/o Chris Polk, P.O. Box 271, Matthews, Mo. 63867. Camp Garwood is a free youth camp in Missouri that was very dear his heart. He spent many hours there, helping with the upkeep and construction of the buildings that aided in leading many young souls to the Lord.