Mary Elisabeth Hofreiter

A renowned and caring physician, Dr. Mary E. Hofreiter, 52, of Keene, NH, passed away unexpectedly at her home in Keene, NH on December 20, 2017. Mary touched many lives and cared passionately for her friends, family and patients alike.

Harold L. and Doris G. (Ramsden) Hofreiter proudly welcomed Mary into the world on September 3, 1965 in Bucks County, PA. The youngest in a family of six, Mary had a sister and four brothers.

Mary attended Montessori school as a child and graduated from Neshaminy High School in Bucks County. She attended Bucks County Community College for two years before transferring to Temple University in Philadelphia, where she earned entry into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. After being inspired by a class in anthropology, Mary decided to change her major from journalism to medicine.

Following graduation from Temple University, she worked as a volunteer in the labs at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and attracted attention for her curiosity and scholarly observation. Mary was offered entry into the MD/Ph. D. program at the medical school, but decided instead to pursue her medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Mary graduated in 2001, and was the recipient of the Anna Marie Chirico award for academic excellence.

Dr. Hofreiter completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. She moved to Keene on September 1, 2004 and began her career at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinic, Keene. She transferred from the primarily outpatient clinic position to that of a Hospitalist at the Cheshire Medical Center in 2011, a change that allowed her more time to raise her young sons, Alden M. Ormont and Henry C. Ormont.

Dr. Hofreiter demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence in medicine and patient advocacy, well known to those for whom she cared. Her free spirit found her taking in the world while riding her BMW motorcycle and her recent adventures in skydiving. She also had a love for the ocean and taking long walks on the beach.

Dr. Hofreiter will be greatly missed by many within the community, her professional colleagues and by her loving family, especially her two children, her two brothers, Keith Hofreiter of Colorado Springs, CO and Mark Hofreiter of Jamison, PA, her sister and brother-in-law Karen and Michael Sparling of Monument, CO, her sisters-in-law Gale Vernon of Frederick, MD and Janice Hofreiter of Hamilton, NJ, her step-mother, Jody Kersenbrock of Crete, NE, and Alden and Henry’s father, Dr. Michael Ormont of Keene, NH, as well as nieces and nephews Debra Mass of Philadelphia, PA, David B. Hofreiter of Annandale, PA, Paul C. Hofreiter of Lawrenceville, NJ and Hannah and Hadley Hofreiter of Colorado Springs, CO. She was predeceased by her parents, and two brothers, Paul Hofreiter and David Hofreiter.

A celebration of Dr. Hofreiter’s life will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2018 from 1:00 to 3:00PM at the Stonewall Farm, 242 Chesterfield Road, Keene, NH.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dr. Hofreiter’s memory to Hundred Nights Cold Weather Shelter, Hundred Nights, Inc. PO Box 833, 17 Lamson Street, Keene NH 03431 or to The Cheshire Health Foundation, 590 Court Street, Keene NH 03431.