Rebecca Hoffman
Hopkinton, MA – Rebeka Lynn Hoffman, 68, died Saturday, June 11th at Milford Regional Hospital after being diagnosed with cancer almost a year ago.
She is survived by her three brothers, Tim, Dan, and Sam Hoffman, and six nieces and a nephew. She was predeceased by her parents, Curtis Hoffman and Anne (Henry) Andrews and youngest brother Nathan.
Beka was born in Reading PA. As an infant she lived in Virginia, then in Hopewell, NJ during elementary school years and in New Britain, CT as a teenager and was in the high school marching band as a saxophonist. After high school, she studied at the University of Chicago. Beka settled in Hopkinton, MA in 1989 where she lived until her passing.
Beka was introduced to camping and hiking as a child and enjoyed the wilderness the rest of her life. Even near the end, Beka bought a newer van and loaded it up with her camping gear, ready to go, but did not get the chance. She never gave up hope for the future.
Beka was a strong, independent woman whose friendship was valued by many. She cared deeply about social justice and caring for nature and took actions to affect both. Beka had a strong commitment to promote feminist causes and also lived spiritually which was felt by all who loved her. Beka was an avid reader and had an intensely inquisitive mind, always exploring and investigating her heartfelt interests. She was a drummer for over 20 years.
Beka had several vocations before finding that teaching was her passion, and she worked as a teacher for the later part of her life.
At the time of her death, Beka served as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Hopkinton Housing Authority.
Beka requested that any donations in her memory be made to these organizations which were important to her and which she supported:
Population Connection https://populationconnection.org/
We Want The Land Collective https://wwtlc.org/
Northeast Wilderness Trust https://newildernesstrust.org/
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Tim, Dan and Sam and family and friends,
So Sorry to hear about Beka. You all are in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
I have many fond memories of Beka, and will always be grateful
for the loving care she provided to Curt, and the respite for me. She lived her life with integrity and passion, and deeply influenced many people on this earth. Well done.
I am very sad about this news! It breaks my heart. She was a very inspiring woman, and I have lots of warm memories of her. I will never forget her dedication to causes she loved and her thoughtful spirituality. She was well loved!
I am so sad to hear of Ms Hoffman’s passing. She was a treasured substitute teacher throughout my years growing up in Hopkinton. She made a lasting impact on many of us. Ms Hoffman, you will be so missed.
So sad to hear of my good friend, beka, passing. Beka had such a passion for life and doing things that mattered to her.
I had many camping and hiking days with her, and I treasure them deeply.
May love surround all who knew Beka.
Alice.
I thought for sure Beka would beat cancer. Her intelligence was so apparent as she reseached and led her treatment. I am going to miss Beka! I pray that God will remember her and help her family and many friends cope with the loss of this kind soul.
Alex and I met Beka years ago standing on the corner in Hopkinton protesting the onset of the Iraq War. Later we realized that we lived just downhill from her, always happy to bump into her with or without her bicycle, grateful for the enormous energy she put into local work expressing intentions for the world that mattered a lot to us, also. We moved away just as her health worsened, and I continued to communicate with her through Facebook. I’ve been worrying about not seeing her messages, dreading the news I’ve just so belatedly found. But it’s impossible to think of Beka with sorrow; she was such a shining presence, always, beautiful and strong and funny and deep, so deep. I’m grateful to have known her, and very grateful to all the people who were able to help her more directly than I could.
Journey well my friend, I am blessed to have known you.
I am drumming today and thinking of Beka.
I knew Rebecca well from the time the family moved to New Britain, CT and she attended the Slade Middle School and New Britain High School. She was my theatergoing partner in those exciting, forward-looking high school days (all those plays at Hartford Stage and Yale Rep) and someone whose intellect and strength of character I always admired. She was committed to social justice even in those days, long before the rest of us, I envied her her family life, that wonderful mother, those brothers she thought the world of. I am sorry we lost touch when we went our separate ways off to college.