Bernd Andrew Hoffmann

Bernd Hoffmann (a.k.a. Miracle Man*) November 23, 1947-August 17, 2023 Bernd was born in Goettingen, Germany and immigrated to the U.S. with his parents in 1953. He grew up in New Jersey, and attended vocational school there for mechanical drafting. He met his wife, Lynda at the One Mine Street coffeehouse on the Rutgers campus where they were volunteers. It was love at first sight for Bernd and they were married in 1971, moving to Fort Collins in 1973. Bernd took great pride in his work as a draftsman/designer. The “fastest draw in the west”, his work took him from doing pen and ink drawings at the CSU Engineering Research Center where he drew illustrations for professors’ research projects and graduate students’ dissertations to learning AutoCAD drafting in the early 80s. He worked at Advanced Energy, Burris where he designed rifle telescopes, and at Obermeyer Hydro where he was a “dam” designer. Bernd was intelligent, sensitive, caring, quiet, stubborn, and opinionated and was not afraid to speak out. He was one of a kind and didn’t care what others might think of him. He always wore a hat and carried a walking stick. In the summer months he could often be seen wearing his lederhosen and Tyrolian hat. Bernd had varying interests throughout his life. He enjoyed sailing and was one of the first in the state to take up windsurfing. Past hobbies included bonsai, tropical fish, black powder shooting, and fencing. He was a pretty good pool player and could recently be found at the West End Pub playing pool and enjoying a beer with his friends. Collecting was another of Bernd’s interests and his walking stick collection was a joy to him. He liked rock and roll, reggae, and jazz, sci-fi movies and TV programs, a good cup of coffee, a good beer, and spicy food, the hotter the better. More recently, Bernd took great pleasure in walking his dogs and sitting on the front deck watching and talking to neighbors as they walked by. Bernd’s greatest loves were not things, but his wife and daughter, Heather, who made him proud, and his friends. Bernd was not a religious person, but was very interested in the Nordic gods. When he would see a couple of crows, he’d say they were Huginn and Muninn, the helping ravens of the god, Odin. May he be soaring, pain free with them. Peace be with you, Bernd. *Why Miracle Man, you ask? Bernd survived many ordeals that others would have not-a burst appendix at 18 months of age, falling through the ice at age 12, victim of a pedestrian/car accident at 14, heart attack at 50, and cardiac arrest at a rest stop in Idaho at 65. (We are deeply grateful to Julie Roseborough who performed CPR on him and saved his life, giving him 11 years he wouldn’t have otherwise had.) Although he recently underwent open heart surgery for an aortic aneurysm and survived that as well, he shortly afterward suffered several illnesses requiring hospitalization that finally took his life. His message to you all would be that every day is a gift. Don't waste it. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to: The Animal Friends Alliance (https://www.savinganimalstoday.org/donate/) Pathways Hospice (https://pathways-care.org/give-now/), or The Colorado Sound (https://us.netdonor.net/page/16996/donate/1). There will not be a Celebration of Life as posted earlier. Please celebrate Bernd in your own way. Maybe have a craft beer, a good cup of coffee (no Starbucks!), or enjoy some spicy food and be grateful for the gift of each day.

Tributes

Bernd Andrew Hoffmann

November 23, 1947 - August 17, 2023