John Hoffmire

I could write pages of my experiences about our time together in the Longfellow Park Ward, about your assistance to the Center on Business and Poverty and Progress Through Business, about our long talks and about how good it has been for me to have a friend like you. But, nothing matters to me so much as how people treat Shelley’s and my children.

After a long search, Kate and I were able to find a paper she wrote about you when she was a freshman in high school. Rather than giving a long introduction to it, here is what Kate wrote:

This was entitled:

One Of My Other Moms

I had an important mother figure in my life named Suzette Smith. She was unmarried, in her 30’s, and was a member of my church. We met and just had so much in common; we got along like nobody’s business. Suzette would stay with my brother and me whenever my parents went out of town and we would all have so much fun together. The thing I love most about her was how strong she was. Being single, she faced all life’s trials without anyone constantly standing by her side (however she did have a very supportive family). Suzette knew what she wanted and tried or worked her hardest for it. Though Suzette moved back to Utah, we still constantly keep in touch and visit as much as possible in person.

Suzette, whether you were playing the role of counselor at girls camp, having the girls over to your apartment once girls camp was over, playing with our kids at the Longfellow Park Family Home Evenings at our house, talking with them when you would see them at church, or whether you were staying with them when we were out of town, you were and are the best.

You should know, while we couldn’t find this one, the story above became one of Kate’s practice college essays. She almost used an expanded version of the essay above when she applied to go to college at BYU.

There are times when I don’t think you know how positively influential you are.

Thank you for being our friend. You make the world a better place. I just wish we could clone you.

With Love,

John Hoffmire (for Shelley, Kate and James as well)