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Lawrence Hoff

February 17, 2019
Raleigh, NC

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Lawrence (Larry) Conrad Hoff, 90, died Sunday, February 17, 2019 at his home in Raleigh, North Carolina following a short battle with cancer. Larry was born January 19, 1929 to German immigrant father, Conrad, and mother Katherine Lindegren Hoff in Fresno, California. Katherine died of typhoid fever when Larry was just a year old, leaving Larry and his sister to be raised by their single father. This was a challenge during the Great Depression. The family struggled, but Larry excelled at sports and school despite the family's difficulties. After the Depression the family moved to Richmond, California where Larry's father worked as an electrician at the shipyards. Larry was an outstanding student and served as student body president of Richmond High School. He was also an excellent athlete, competing in track and field as well as basketball. He was named by the Oakland Enquirer as Northern California High School Athlete of the Year with 40 straight victories and the attainment of Northern California Track Championship for Richmond High School. His academic and athletic accomplishments earned Larry a track scholarship to Stanford University. In his college career, he was extremely successful in track, winning the Pac-12 quarter mile and placing 5th in the NCAA championships. Larry was named Co-Captain of the Stanford track team in his senior year. That same year he was also elected to the Stanford Student Executive Council and for three years during college, Larry was treasurer and house manager for the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. After receiving his B.A. from Stanford, Larry joined The Upjohn Company, where he worked until his retirement in 1990, retiring as President and Chief Operating Officer. During his 40 years at Upjohn, Larry was very active in the pharmaceutical industry. He served as Chairman of the National Chain Drug Store Association's Advisory Board, Chairman of the National Pharmaceutical Council, Chairman of the Board of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, Vice Chairman of the Proprietary Association, Chairman of the Council on Family Health, Chairman of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and a board member of the American Diabetes Association. Larry met the love of his life, Jacqueline Goodyear, when they were both students at Stanford. They married in 1950 and enjoyed 65 joyful years together until Mrs. Hoff's death in 2015. Their married life involved multiple moves to different states as Mr. Hoff's career advanced. They lived in California, Hawaii, Texas, Michigan (for nearly 40 years), Florida and finally, Raleigh, North Carolina. Kalamazoo, Michigan, the headquarters of The Upjohn Company, was the Hoffs' longest residence and is what they considered their primary home. In Kalamazoo, Larry was active in community activities including serving for several years as Vice Chairman of the Borgess Hospital Board. He also was vice chairman of the Kalamazoo Red Cross, the Kalamazoo YMCA, and the Kalamazoo United Way, and was a principal in the development of the Kalamazoo Museum. He also served as Chairman of the Michigan Colleges Foundation. The Hoffs' home in Old Marsh Golf Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, was a favorite residence and Larry enjoyed serving on the Old Marsh Board of Directors and as chairman for four years of the Member's Advisory Committee. Their summer retreat in Linville, NC, overlooking Grandfather Mountain, was a welcome relief to Florida's (and later Raleigh's) summer heat. The Hoffs were avid travelers, whether for business or pleasure, traveling extensively during Larry's years with Upjohn and even more during the first 15 years of retirement. In total, they visited 82 countries in their years together. Larry was predeceased by his wife, Jacqueline Goodyear Hoff and his sister-in-law, Diane McClure, and is lovingly survived by his children Cathy (Dr. David) Cantor, Dr. Fred (Dr. Charles Sisung) Hoff, and Lisa Hoff; grandchildren Dr. Lauren (Rabbi Benjy) Bar-Lev, Rob (Allison) Cantor, and Alyssa (Dr. Josh) Kalisky; great grandchildren Samantha, Jacob, Asher and Noah Bar-Lev and Milo Cantor. Larry is also survived by his sister Erma (Dan) Greer, brother-in-law David McClure and many nieces and nephews.