Jane Gayle Hofford

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, located at 2310 SE 148th Ave, Portland, Oregon, on January 30, 2026, starting at 10:00 am.

A Burial and Committal Gathering will take place at Forest Lawn Cemetery, situated at 400 SW Walters Road, Gresham, Oregon, on January 30, 2026, beginning at 2:00 pm.

Jane Gayle Hofford, passed away peacefully at 85 years old on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Vancouver, Washington.

Born on January 7th, 1941, in Lamar, Missouri to Mary and Harold Howard, she was the youngest of 4 siblings, Charles, Lee Roy and James Howard. She graduated from Neodesha High School, where she was a cheerleader and homecoming queen, two roles that reflected her lifelong spirit of kindness, encouragement and warmth. Jane lived a life defined by love, faith, generosity, and unwavering devotion to her family and community.

On June 18th, 1961, Jane married the love of her life, Donald Hofford. Together they shared 55 years of marriage filled with Love, Faith, and Family. Jane was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was endlessly proud of her children: Benjamin, Vincent, Frank, Angela and Jessica. Over the years her joy multiplied with the coming of 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, each of whom she loved deeply.

Jane dedicated much of her working life to service. She worked at a variety of high end restaurants as a waitress as well as working as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service until she retired. No matter the job, Jane approached her work with diligence, kindness, and a smile that made everyone feel welcome and loved. A woman of strong faith, Jane was an active member of the Catholic Church since her marriage in 1961. Her faith guided her daily life and her commitment to helping others. She was deeply involved in her community, always ready to lend a hand, open her home, or offer a listening ear.

Jane found joy in the simple and meaningful things: family gatherings, dancing, traveling, playing pinochle, baking, gardening and especially traveling to the beach cabin at the Oregon Coast as well as many memorable trips to Maui with family. Jane was known for her humor, big smile, and welcoming nature, Jane had a gift for making people feel at home. Her generosity, kindness, and selflessness left a lasting impression on everyone she met.

Jane’s legacy is one of love given freely and consistently. She believed in showing up for others every day, and she lived that belief fully. She had a genuine love for others.

As Jane so beautifully said on her 85th birthday: “Love is not meant to be delivered just a little bit at a time. Love is supposed to be delivered constantly.”