Russell Wayne Hoffman

Russ was born in Chickasha, OK on May 30, 1949, to Aubrey and Marie Hoffman. He was the third of seven children. The family moved to Climax, CO at the age of four where Aubrey managed the town’s recreation center. The family briefly moved to Crowell, TX in 1960 and then settled back in Buena Vista, CO later that year when Russ was 12, which is when he first met his future wife of 56 years, Elizabeth (Bette) Newcomb, in the halls of Avery Junior High School.

In 1967, Russ graduated from Buena Vista High School where he played football, basketball, and ran track, and immediately following graduation, he worked in the molybdenum mines up the road in Climax until joining the Air Force in March of 1969, reporting to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, for basic training.

He and Bette were married in Buena Vista on July 26,1969 and relocated to Tucson, AZ shortly after where Russ served a stint at Davis Monthan Air Force Base before then moving on to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, AK, until returning home to Colorado in 1973. During their time in Anchorage, the first of their two sons, Bryan, was born in May 1972. After his military service, Russ and Bette lived in Colorado Springs, Lakewood and Denver where their second son, Troy, was born in March 1976. The couple finally settled for good in Littleton, CO in 1986, where Russ served his community as a police officer and detective for the City of Littleton for 35 years.

Russ was a dedicated husband and father who enjoyed many years of coaching his sons in baseball and football as they grew up. He was known for his sense of humor and quick wit, and his acts of kindness and empathy toward others, both professionally and personally. He was passionate about sports, sports collectables, Elvis and good fried chicken. Over the years he traveled to visit just about every major league ballpark with family and friends falling short of completing them all by just one (Toronto).

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Bette Hoffman of Littleton, his sons, Bryan Hoffman of Wilmington, NC, and Troy Hoffman of Fort Collins, CO. He also leaves behind five sisters. Virginia Sandoval of Canon City, CO, Patty Brickley of Canon City, CO, Leona Bennett (Doug) of Williamsburg, VA, Janice Bua (Frank) of Golden, CO, and Robin Hamilton (Terry) of Canon City, CO.

A memorial service will be held at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch at 3900 Grace Blvd. on Monday, August 25, 2025, at 11:00 AM in the Dixon Chapel, with a reception to follow at the Cherry Cricket Littleton at 819 W. Littleton Blvd., from 1:00 – 4:00. All our welcome.