My Uncle, Eldon Garrison HOFER, for whom I am sort of named after, passed away Saturday at his home in Symsonia, Graves Co., KY (just outside of Paducah) - his obit was in yesterday's "The Paducah Sun" : SYMSONIA - Eldon G. Hofer, 79, of Symsonia passed away at 12:25 P.M. Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013, at his residence. Eldon was a retired manager of the Public Service Company of Colorado, a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, and a member of Oaklawn Baptist Church of Paducah. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Claire Beth (Strow) Hofer of Symsonia; one son, Eric W. Hofer of Ledbetter; one daughter, Karen S. Olson and husband Forrest W. of South Range, Wis.; two brothers, Ira V. Hofer of Arvada, Colo., and Merle F. Hofer of Denver, Colo.; one sister, Maxine King of Artesia, N.M.; three grandchildren, Amanda Netland of Carver, Minn., Chelsey Fischer of Castle Rock, Colo., and Cody Hofer of Ledbetter; two great-grandchildren, Benjamin Netland and Jackson Netland of Carver, Minn.; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl Edward and Oval (Phillips) Hofer; two brothers; three sisters; and one nephew. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013, at Oaklawn Baptist Church of Paducah with Rev. Royce Dukes officiating. Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 10:00 A.M. until service time at the church. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations made to Lourdes Hospice, P.O. Box 7100, Paducah, KY 42002-9961, or Oaklawn Baptist Church, 500 Oaks Road, Paducah, KY 42003. You may leave a message of sympathy and light a candle at www.hughesfuneral.com. (http://www.paducahsun.com/view/full_story_free/23286898/article-Eldon-G--Ho fer?instance=home_obits ) Eldon was born 12 Apr 1934 Denver, Denver Co., CO and is 8th of 9 children born to Carl Edward HOFER and Oval PHILLIPS. His wife, Claire, is from Benton, Marshall Co., KY area and so when Eldon started having lung/respiratory issues - they moved to Symsonia so he could breathe easier. Oval was b. 27 Nov 1894 (I believe Moores Prairie Twp.), Jefferson Co., IL; she moved with her parents and sister to Custer/Doss area (near Salem), Dent Co., MO about 1903 after another brother and sister of theirs had died very young (I believe they are buried at Liberty-Ridlin Cem., NTwp., FCI); there she met a full -blooded German, Carl born & raised in southeast MN, and married him on 12 Mar 1916 at Custer, Dent Co., MO. They moved to Havre, MT to farm - but Oval was used to a much warmer climate, so they eventually followed the combines down to Colorado. Oval d/o Garrison PHILLIPS and Della WILKEY (mar. 1893 at Snowflake) Garrison (1873 NTwp., FCI - before 1946 we think near Manhattan, KS) s/o John David PHILLIPS and Mary Ellen WEBB John s/o William PHILLIPS and Sarah BOSTER ... Mary d/o Franklin W WEBB and Sarah NEAL. Della (1873 MP, JCI - 1962 Flagler, CO) d/o Joshua WILKEY and Elizabeth Jane "Eliza" ROSS Joshua s/o Bennett Maxey WILKEY and Jane "Jennie" CALDWELL . Eliza d/o Patrick ROSS and Minerva Ann BARBEE . (all of these lines are in the southeast corner of Jefferson, northeast corner of Franklin, and northwest corner of Hamilton; I am (and of course Eldon is also ) related to everyone around this Macedonia / Belle Rive / Ewing area) My mother, Maxine, at age 90, is still going pretty strong - I will see her in a couple weeks - and hopefully will get an autosomal DNA sample!! -Sheldon