Lois Marlene Hoffman

Born September 18, 1935, Lois was the oldest of 3 children born to Mark and Sally (Golinsky) Matz in Lehigh Valley, PA. She grew up in a strong Christian home, attending Mizpah Grove camp meetings with the Mennonite Brethren and was a member of the Ebenezer Bible Fellowship Church. The family lived on a small farm where her father was a beekeeper and her mother raised dogs. The ‘Little Red Honey Stand’ is a local landmark along Rte 378 to this day. As leader in the Junior Counselor program, she received the nickname JayCee, which she adopted and preferred throughout her life. A strong advocate for family and tradition, she and her father organized a Matz family reunion event that continued for 70 consecutive years!

She attended The King’s College in New Castle, DE and Briarcliff Manor, NY for 4 years as a music major, becoming active in cheerleading and student government. There, she met her husband, Donald (aka Pete), with whom she would eventually share 66 years of marriage. After college, she started as a music teacher, but then found her real passion for Guidance Counseling, developing young 6 – 8 grade kids in Ossining, NY, a career that would ultimately span over 40 years. She was highly sought after for the unique counseling programs she developed and presented at education conferences. At the same time, she remained very active in support of her alma mater, leading fund drive activities, serving as President of the Alumni Association and ultimately as a member of the Board of Trustees. She hosted dinner parties at her home for countless students, giving them a rare opportunity to get away from campus, meet others and develop new friendships. She often offered her home when students needed a place to stay, and welcomed them as her own children. She lived by the adage “make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver, the other gold.”

After her career, she spent time cruising around the world - literally, visiting over 40 countries and touching all 7 continents. She actively supported ministries spanning the globe.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Glenn. She is survived by her husband Donald, her sister Judy Skeels from Woodbury, NJ, and her son Peter (and wife Kim) from Holland, MI. She is also survived by 3 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

JayCee’s legacy lives on through the countless lives she touched, the values she upheld, and the love she shared. She will be deeply missed but forever cherished.

A memorial service was held at the First Baptist Church of Peekskill, NY on September 20, 2025 at 11:00am. To view the service, follow this link: https://bit.ly/HoffmanLifeCelebration

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her honor for scholarships to provide a potentially life-changing experience for kids to attend a Christian camp, in keeping with her values of developing young hearts and minds. Two organizations very important to her throughout her lifetime were:

Word of Life (https://camps.wol.org/scholarship/) and

Sandy Cove Ministries (https://www.sandycove.org/give/scholarship-funds/)