Robert “Bob” Hofacker

Robert Hofacker
1926 — 2016
Robert D.  “Bob” Hofacker, 89 of Elgin, NE passed away Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at the Good Samaritan Society-Albion. Funeral servi-ces was held Monday, February 8, 2016 at Grace Lutheran Church in Neligh, NE with Pastor David Kuhfal officiating. Burial followed at West Cedar Valley Cemetery in Elgin. Military rites were provided by American Legion Post 229 and VFW Post 5816 of Elgin, and the American Legion Riders.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family for later designation. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.huffmanlevander.com.
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Robert DeLain Hofacker, son of Paul John and Viola (Heidemann) Hofacker, was born March 21, 1926 on his family’s farm east of Elgin, NE. He was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilden, NE, attended school at St. Clair Dist. 2 in Antelope County and graduated from Tilden High School in 1942.
Bob was inducted into the United States Army Air Corps on June 28, 1944 and was honorably discharged on June 30, 1945, returning home to farm with his father for the next 17 years.On October 24, 1948, Bob married Bonnie Lou Medcalf at the Grace Lutheran Parsonage in Neligh, NE. The couple made their home on the family farm where they were blessed with two children: Kenneth and Shirley. In 1962, after much soul searching, he made a major life decision to leave the family farm he loved.
Bonnie and he purchased the Elgin Bowl from Henry Jennings. This required some creative thinking as he was moving from his comfort zone of plowing, planting and feeding cattle to filling his newly acquired four lane bowling alley with league bowlers five nights a week.  He was always on the hunt to create a new bowling team, and of course,  looking for someone to get the perfect 300 game so he could put their name as high weekly score on the big chalk board. After selling the bowling alley in 1970, he managed the Farmers Coop Exchange (FCX) fertilizer division in Elgin for 20 years. His hard work and leadership helped grow that division and the business. He greatly missed his loyal customers and the employees after his retirement in 1990.
Over the years, he loved his fishing trips to Minnesota and South Dakota and the weekend bowling tournaments he attended across Nebraska in the 70’s.
Bob married Bulah (Johnson) Miller on July 6, 1990 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Tilden, NE and they made their home in Elgin.
Together they enjoyed pulling the camper to country music festivals for the past 25 years. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren were very important to him. He was always interested in what they were up to, but never fully grasped the concept of FaceTime as a communication device to talk and see them all at once. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Elgin, NE since 1962 and served eight years each on the Elgin City Council and Antelope County Board of Supervisors. He was also a past member of the Northeast Nebraska Area on Aging Board and West Cedar Valley Cemetery Board. He was currently serving on the Antelope County Weed Board and was a member of the American Legion Post 229 of Elgin for 54 years.
Bob is survived by his wife Bulah Hofacker of Elgin; children: Kenneth (Janet) Hofacker of Naperville, IL; Shirley (Martin) Thorberg of Elgin; step-son David (Ruth) Miller of Oakdale; Step-daughter Teresa (Tom) Schwarting of Norfolk; grandchildren: Aaron (Kendra) Thorberg of Mullen, NE; Brock (Kristin) Thorberg of Lincoln, NE; Megan (Josh) Biller of Evergreen, CO; Jonathan Hofacker and Brent Hofacker of Chicago, IL; step-grandchildren: Jill (Andy) Follmer of Omaha; Michael Miller of Oakdale; Allen Miller of Tilden; three great-grandchildren: Owen and Emerson Thorberg of Mullen; Conrad Biller of Evergreen, CO; sister-in-law: Dorothy (Ed) Ambrozic of Mill Creek, WA; along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Paul and Viola; first wife Bonnie Hofacker in 1987; and his sister Thelma Brandt.