Merna C. Hoft

Merna C. Hoft, 90, long-time Columbia resident passed away in St. Louis, where she moved late last year to be close to one of her sons, who is a physician at Saint Louis University. Merna moved to Columbia in 1965 with her husband, Richard, who was an Electrical Engineering professor at the University of Missouri. She raised four children here, taught in the Columbia Public Schools for more than a decade, worked as a travel agent, hosted many of Dick’s students and colleagues from here and abroad and was active in the community, notably as a member of the Missouri United Methodist Church for half a century.

Merna Darlene Collis was born in Wall Lake, IA on April 27, 1928, the oldest daughter of Dr. Kenneth O. Collis, who was a small-town dentist and Blanche Stockdale Collis, who was a homemaker and office manager at the dental office. She was studious and also played high school basketball in Iowa, one of a few states where girls could play the sport decades before Title IX legislation mandated gender equity in federal funded education programs. Her high school sweetheart, Richard (Dick) Gibson Hoft became her husband of almost 60 years until their strong partnership ended upon Dick’s death more than ten years ago.

Merna and Dick, after four years of intense long-distance correspondence with hundreds of heartfelt letters documenting their steadfast love for each other, married in Boone, Iowa on December 28, 1946. Merna was 19 years of age and her father gave his approval of the marriage on the condition that Merna would complete her college degree. She graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Home Economics and later received a Master of Science degree from the University of Missouri/Columbia in Family Economics and Management.

In 1948, Dick received a job offer from General Electric Company and the young couple moved across the country to Schenectady, NY where they would start their family and live for the next 15 years. Before the birth of their five children, one of whom died in infancy, Merna worked as a preschool teacher. They were active in the Methodist church and formed life-long friendships as part of a group for young married couples called the “Young Mariners.”

Dick decided he wanted to be a college professor, and the family moved back to Iowa. Merna took care of their four children and supported her husband while he completed his Ph. D. degree. By 1965, Dick had completed his degree and accepted an offer to teach in the College of Engineering at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

They moved into a house in the Hulens Lake area on the west side of town that Merna made into the family home for almost 50 years. She was very involved with an organization of wives of engineers, and she provided generous support to the families of colleagues and graduate students new to Columbia, and in many cases, new to the USA, as well as served countless meals and hosted gatherings at the family home. Many of Dick’s former colleagues and students remembered and appreciated the warmth and generosity of Merna.

Merna and Dick raised four children and were active in the Columbia community. Once their youngest was in junior high school, Merna began a more than 10-year career with the Columbia Public School system and ultimately taught home economics at three area junior high schools. When she retired from teaching she worked as a travel agent at Brady Commons and in south Columbia at Canterbury Travel. She traveled with Dick around the country and the world, visiting family and Dick’s former colleagues, students and their families. Dick and Merna were avid Mizzou fans, holding season tickets to basketball and football games. Merna was involved in League of Women Voters, Peaceworks, the Ronald McDonald House, Meals on Wheels and other civic organizations. She volunteered at a local hospital, reading to children and at a food pantry. She tirelessly supported the Missouri United Methodist Church, singing for many years in the choir and being involved in many committees, including Open Door Ministries, the Mission Commission, several women’s circles, dinner and prayer groups and delivering mugs to new members and visitors to MUMC.

In the mid to late 1990’s, it became clear that her beloved husband was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Thus began a more than ten year journey and a devotion to care-giving as Dick’s disease progressed until his death in 2006. After Dick’s death, Merna remained active in her volunteer work and MUMC activities. She opened her home to her grandson Jared. In 2014, she finally moved to Lenoir Senior Services, a place she and Dick talked about moving to for many years. She met many wonderful people and enjoyed an independent living apartment and then moved to assisted living with time at the healthcare center. As the physical challenges of aging limited the volunteer work she felt she could perform, she committed to regularly donate to many charitable organizations.

In December of 2017, she moved from her beloved hometown to an assisted living facility in St. Louis. In early February, she soldiered through what later turned out to have been several severe strokes, was taken to the hospital, transferred to rehabilitation and eventually moved into McKnight Place extended care facility where she ultimately passed away. She celebrated her 90th birthday on April 28th with approximately 25 family members, including her four kids, grandchildren, a great grandchild and nieces and nephews, who traveled from near and far. The following day she commented that she enjoyed her party “very much.”

Merna and Dick shared a strong Christian faith but were always inclusive of other religions, ethnic groups and supportive of those less fortunate. They loved and shared their lives with diverse people from around the world and were determined to leave the world better than they found it. As her younger sister, Lorene Thornbury, said upon hearing of Merna’s passing, “She did everything she could possibly do for everyone else.” Merna served as a beacon of moral and ethical standards to her three sons and daughter. She was the constant, the rock, the primary structure for the family. She was the neighbor always lending a helping hand. She was fiercely committed to equality for all. She rarely overtly challenged or contradicted anyone, but her thoughts were clearly communicated. She was a devoted daughter, sibling, wife, aunt, in-law, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother; firmly and passionately committed to family. In her children she re-enforced self-reliance and the importance of morality, world engagement & service.

Merna enjoyed many years of happiness with her family and her community, provided joy to many other people, and always believed good will prevail and love will endure. All those who knew her were warmed by her gentle, humble and generous spirit. Her family and friends will greatly miss her physical presence and will always be inspired by her benevolent and disciplined example.

She is survived by two younger siblings, Dennis Collis (Physician; Eugene, OR) and Lorene Thornbury (Homemaker; Hilton Head, SC), and by her four children [Richard Hollis Hoft, MD (Carmen Castillo, DDS); Daniel Fredric Hoft, MD/PhD (Elaine Siegfried, MD); Thomas Wesley Hoft, JD (Mary Hoft, DNP); and Janine Louise Hoft, JD (Linda Wagner )]; her 10 grandchildren (Jared, Isaac (Sarah), Andrew (Valerie), Galen, Richard, Sarah, Eric, Stella, Juliana, Jenna; all surnamed Hoft); and two great-grandchildren, Charlotte and Logan. As well as many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws.

Memorial services will occur at the Missouri United Methodist Church, 204 S. Ninth Street, in Columbia, MO on June 16, 2018 at 2pm. Refreshments and additional time for sharing memories of Merna will occur in the church basement immediately after the service. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Merna’s name to Missouri United Methodist Church or the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) research initiatives.