Jonnie Hofer

Jonnie Hofer

Rochester, Minn.

Jonnie Jeanne Hofer, 79, of Rochester, Minn., previously of Oelwein, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Mayo Clinic Methodist Hospital, in Rochester, Minn. Jonnie was born on Nov. 18, 1944, in Orange County, Calif., to Paul Vincent Dominguez and Helen Jeanne (Hurwitz) Dominguez.

Jonnie married Larry Paul Koenig on Oct. 10, 1961, with whom she had four children: Michael, Kristy, Craig, and Stephen. Jonnie and Larry later divorced. On May 7, 1972, Jonnie married John Richard “Rick” Hofer in Oquawka, Ill. Rick and Jonnie moved to Oelwein, Iowa, in 1979, where they lived until Rick’s death in 2020. Jonnie moved to Rochester in 2021 to be near her son, Craig, daughter-in-law, Cindy, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with whom she spent many birthdays, holidays, and family dinners and where she loved up on her grandbabies as much as she could.

Jonnie completed her GED later in life and held many jobs over the years, some of which included bartending, mechanical parts inspection at Donaldsons (where she retired), and the odd shift at the Ice Cream Junction down the street from her home in Oelwein, where she worked in the kitchen and chatted with the regulars.

Jonnie, known by those closest to her as “Fluffy,” loved to crochet, kick her feet up in her favorite chair to read a good book (usually a mystery, and always starting with the last page), watching the news, all things Elvis Presley, and Disney’s Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Fluffy loved classic cars and going for a drive on a warm summer’s night through the country to watch the sun set. She enjoyed going to live theatre shows and to breakfast, where she usually ordered pancakes, over-easy eggs and extra-crispy hashbrowns with onions, playing cards with her friends, and a respectable game of bingo. Fluffy loved cooking for family and friends, though she frequently made far too much food for the number of people she was serving. She was most known for her cheatin’ spaghetti and garlic bread, chicken on the bone, snickerdoodle cookies, cucumber sandwiches, tummy medicine (popcorn), and homemade Chex mix. Fluffy’s spicy personality, lively conversation, and hugs will be dearly missed.

Survivors include her sons, Craig (Cindy) Koenig of Rochester, Minn. and Stephen (Deanna) Koenig of Magnolia, Texas; sister, Melanie Harner of Fullerton, Calif.; aunt, Betty Dominguez of Villa Park, Calif.; stepmother-in-law, Audrey Hofer, of Randalia, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Cheryl (Stan) Ahlrichs of Hiawatha, Iowa, Janice (CR) Marshall of Stevens Point, Wis., Shirley (Larry) Wenthe of Prairie City, Iowa; Bobbie (Allen) Beenken of Grundy Center, Iowa, and Linda (Rod) Bowers of Webster City, Iowa; three grandchildren, Alyssa (Calvin) Jerde of Rochester, Minn., John (Megan) Koenig of Rochester, Minn., and Jeremiah Koenig of Madison, Wis.; two great-granddaughters, Elenora Jerde and Emmeline Jerde, both of Rochester, Minn.; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews, friends, and her many “old dolls” with whom she shared countless cups of coffee, card games, and lots of laughter.

Jonnie was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Rick; her parents, Paul and Helen; stepmother, Bernice Dominguez; children, Michael Koenig and Kristy Koenig; uncle, Ronald Dominguez; father-in-law, John L. Hofer Sr.; mother-in-law, Dora Calvey; sister-in-law, Peg Strand; brothers-in-law, Timothy Nelson, John L. Hofer Jr., and Steven Reynolds.

Jonnie’s family would like to thank the Mayo Clinic Palliative Care Team for their compassionate care in Jonnie’s last days of life. Memorials may be directed to the family. A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.