Mary Donahue Hoffman passed away in her home in Redondo Beach, California on Sunday morning January 25, 2009. She was born in Erin Prairie, Wisconsin on April 9, 1923. Mary lived in Redondo Beach in the same house for the past 54 years. She was married to Philip John Hoffman, and together they had five children, Dan Hoffman, Julianne Surowski (deceased), Tom Hoffman, Marie Hoffman Demarse and Phylis Hoffman. Mary is also survived by her 9 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren, as well as her sisters, Marguerite Maloney and Helen Hintz and her brothers, Patrick Donahue and Tom Donahue. Mary had many jobs over her lifetime but the one she was most proud of was being a Special Education Teacher in Redondo Beach for the Los Angeles County Department of Education. She loved working with special needs children and she forged strong relationships with the families of the children she taught. Mary graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills in 1985 (She would always say its never too late to learn!) and she retired from the county a few years later. Mary seemed to be even busier when she retired: she worked part-time in a pre-school, became a Eucharistic minister to the sick, volunteered for the Special Olympics events in the South Bay, and drove many older friends to church, the supermarket and on other errands. A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 29th from 5:00pm to 9:00pm with a Rosary at 7:00pm in the evening at Rice Mortuary in Torrance. Her Funeral Mass will be on Friday, January 30th at 10:00am at St. James Church in Redondo Beach with a burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. The family asks that in lieu of flowers please volunteer your time to a charity or a need in your community; or if you would like donations can be made to Special Olympics at Special Olympics, 1133 19th Street, NW #1200 Washington, DC 20036 800-700-8585 (select 2) or online at www.specialolympics.org. When asked how she would like to be remembered Mary said, "a kind, caring person who loved her family and friends and fellow man.