Obituary of Robert Hofacker

HOFACKER, Robert F. of Glen Cove, NY on August 18, 2017 age 75. Beloved husband of Margie. Loving father of Donna Schanstra (Neil) & Robert. Dear brother of Raymond (Carol). Proud grandfather of Andrew, Lorelei, Ryan, Julia, Olivia & Ethan. Visitation will take place at the Funeral Home of Dodge-Thomas, Glen Cove, Tuesday & Wednesday 2-4 & 7-9pm . Service will be held Thursday 11am at Dodge-Thomas, Glen Cove. Interment to follow at Locust Valley Cemetery. Dodgethomas.com

Robert F. Hofacker

By Margie Hofacker, also known as, “The Wife”

Robert Hofacker, my Bubbie, also known as Mr. Bubbie, Bob, Ho-Dee-Doe, Dad, Grandpa Bob, and Uncle Bob just to name a few, meant the world to me, as well as to others.   To me he was Superman.  He was able to do things like no one else I’ve ever known.

Here are some things you might not have known about him.  He was well read, and quite intelligent.    He enjoyed learning and was well versed in a variety of subjects.   He enjoyed history.  He did not like to do homework, and frequently did not.  Math came quite easy to him.  Without studying and preparation, he scored the highest grade in NY State on his Math Regents exam. 

At age eighteen, he started working at Powers Chemco in Glen Cove.  He quickly moved up the ranks, becoming the youngest foreman they ever had up until that time.  He played a major role in the development and start up of their Silver Reclamation Facility.  He became an engineer and was quite proud that he did so without a formal degree. 

Bob loved to learn and understand how things worked.  He loved sharing his knowledge with others.  He had many hobbies, with photography being his favorite.  He enjoyed researching places we visited.  He enjoyed taking photos, and putting them together in an album, accompanied by interesting articles and facts about the photos. 

He enjoyed all kinds of music, and especially enjoyed playing his self taught synthesizer.  He enjoyed and understood cooking and meal preparation as if he were a gourmet chef.  “45 Southfield” was the best restaurant around with chef Bubbie at the stove!  Other hobbies he enjoyed were gardening (both vegetables and flowers), collecting stamps and model cars. 

Bob got his greatest enjoyment from playing sports his whole life.  He had been a lifeguard at Jones Beach when he was younger.  His father had him dive off a water tower in Flushing when he was a child.   (His father would have been arrested for doing so nowadays.)  When he was older, Bubbie also did target diving.  He was proud he was ahead of his time by believing in and teaching his daughter, Donna, to swim when she was a baby, before she could walk. 

Besides swimming, Bubbie enjoyed playing basketball and had been part of a press league traveling team.  He also played baseball and coached a women’s softball team for many years.  He enjoyed skiing, and actually skied with members of the US Ski team in the Andes.   He played hockey, tennis and enjoyed bicycle riding.  He especially enjoyed playing handball.  Over the last few years, until prohibited  by multiple eye surgeries and his last illness, he enjoyed staying physically fit by playing racquetball, lifting weights, cutting trees and hedges. 

Mr. Bubbie loved beauty and nature.  He loved going to the beach, especially the beach at Robert Moses State Park, and the Glen Cove beaches.  He enjoyed walks at Morgan Park. 

Bubbie enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.  He had wished his children and grandchildren lived much closer than they did, so he could spend more time with them. 

Bob had a good eye for picking out lovely pieces of cut glass and ornaments.  He enjoyed the way they would sparkle when the sunlight hit them at certain angles, especially from our living room and bedroom. 

Unfortunately, my Bubbie never did make it back home after his January 16, 2017 surgery.  It breaks my heart that he never got to look out at the ornaments and trees from our living room window once again.  Nor was he able to walk down the park or even ride by the beach one last time. 

Bubbie believed in having a positive outlook.  He believed in looking forward and doing the best he could.  He believed in getting the most out of every day.  He said to forget about hurts others may have caused, and even when hurt, to not speak ill and gossip about others.  Secrets told to Bubbie have stayed with him.  He often quoted his mother, by saying, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” 

LBubbie was a very nice guy who tried to not cause hurt or harm for anyone.  He appreciated his friends and family.  He enjoyed sitting in our living room in the sunlight, looking over all of the photo albums he put together to relive happy moments. 

My Bubbie believed in taking care of his health.  He ate healthy, rarely drank alcohol, and had healthy habits.  He stopped smoking a few days before his 21st birthday.  He did all he could to live a long healthy life.  He tried to pass on his words of wisdom based on his knowledge and experiences to others.

Bubbie appreciated all of the cards, the phone calls, the emails, the texts, the visits, the gifts, the prayers and the care he received from others.  No gesture of love and caring went unnoticed or unappreciated. 

Mr. Bubbie fought a good fight.  He lived a life to be proud of.  It is amazing how much he went through and tolerated since December 3, 2016.  He deserves a rest.  May he rest in peace, lovingly watching over you and me, and all of those people who were dear to his heart.