J. Irvie Hoffman Jr.

James Irvie Hoffman, Jr. passed away on Friday, October 8, 2021 in Dallas, TX at the age of 104. 

Born on April 14, 1917 and raised in Coatesville, he was the son of the late James Irvie, Sr. and Emma McIlhenny Hoffman and a 1934 graduate of Coatesville High School.

He was the beloved husband of the late Sarah (Sally) Smith Hoffman, with whom he shared 69 years of marriage at the time of her passing in 2009.

He and Sally spent most of their marriage in West Chester before moving to Simpson Meadows Retirement Community in Downingtown in 2000.  Following the death of his wife, Irvie moved to Dallas in 2012 to be near his daughter, Judy.

After high school, Irvie attended the Valley Forge Military Academy on a band scholarship and then graduated from Springfield College in 1939.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II where he attended the University of Chicago in the U.S. Army ASTP Japanese Language Program in 1945.

Irvie continued his education after the war and attended the University of Pennsylvania Wharton Evening School of Accounts and Finance from 1946 to 1949. He graduated from Rutgers University Stonier Summer Graduate School of Banking in 1958, where his graduate thesis was accepted by the library of the Harvard University Graduate School of Business.

Irvie had a diverse professional background. He began with the YMCAs in Springfield, Massachusetts, Wilmington, Delaware, and Trenton, New Jersey, and then worked for the Maryland Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad followed by five years with C.T. Corporation System in Philadelphia.

He was a commercial banker for thirty-one years in West Chester with the National Bank of Chester County and Trust Company which, by merger with Delaware County National Bank, became Southeast National Bank of Pennsylvania from which he retired in 1982 as Senior Vice President. 

During his banking career, Irvie was Secretary and President of the Chester County Bankers Association, subsequently becoming Chairman of Group II of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association, consisting of six counties: Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, Berks, and Schuylkill.

Irvie was an active member of the West Chester United Methodist Church and served as Charge Lay Leader, Trustee, Chairman of the Official Board, Superintendent of the Adult Sunday School and Teacher of the James L. King Class. He also had a special interest in the Church of the Loving Shepherd and the Bournelyf Special Camps. While living in Simpson Meadows, he and Sally joined Downingtown United Methodist Church. After moving to Dallas, he became a member of University Park United Methodist Church.

Affiliated with many community organizations, Irvie served 25 years on the Boards of the Chester County Hospital and West Chester YMCA. He was President of the “Y” and Vice-Chairman of the Hospital Board and President of its Foundation Board. He also was President of the West Chester United Fund, the Chester County Library and District Center, the West Chester Civic Association and the West Chester Rotary Club, Treasurer of the West Chester School Board and the West Chester Area Joint School Board. He also served as Secretary of the Retail Section of the West Chester Chamber of Commerce. When the United Way of Chester County was formed, he was its first Campaign Chairman. He was Life Member of the Fame Fire Company #3 of West Chester. In 1979, he was named West Chester’s Outstanding Citizen by the Chamber of Commerce.

Interested in classical music, hiking, swimming, and rose gardening, Irvie was President of the Quarry Swimming Association and Treasurer of the Del-Chester Rose Society.

Mr. Hoffman is survived by his daughter, Judith H. McCombs and her husband, J. Jerry, of Dallas, TX; daughter-in-law, Ellen P. Hoffman of Spokane, WA; three grandchildren, Donald Hoffman of San Francisco, CA, Devin McCombs (Alexandria) of Salisbury, MD, and Sarah McCombs Taylor (Scott) of Farmers Branch, TX.

In addition to his wife and parents, Irvie was predeceased by his son, James Irvie Hoffman, III; three year old daughter, Margaret Sue Hoffman; brother, Donald M. Hoffman (Regina); and four sisters, Catherine A. Hoffman, Gladys H. Breuninger (Theodore), Elizabeth H. Kuhlman (Robert) and Charlotte Roosevelt (Peter).

Irvie's family will receive relatives and friends on Saturday, May 7, 2022 from 10 to 11 am at the Downingtown United Methodist Church, 751 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, where his Memorial Service will take place at 11 am. Services to follow at the graveside will be held privately for the family.

Memorial Donations may be made to the Chester County Hospital, 701 E. Marshall Street, West Chester, PA 19380 or the Church of the Loving Shepherd, 1066 S. New Street, West Chester, PA 19382.

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