The church community Aracely del Carmen Hoffman and her two children dearly loved bid a bittersweet aloha to the family Wednesday.
The church community Aracely del Carmen Hoffman and her two children dearly loved bid a bittersweet aloha to the family Wednesday.
About 250 packed a meeting hall at Malia Puka O Kalani Catholic Church for a celebration of life and Mass for the 40-year-old woman, her 7-year-old daughter, Clara, and her 5-year-old son, John Jr., who were shot to death in their Leilani Estates home almost two weeks ago.
“I don’t think she would have ever realized how many people she has touched,” said Rose Bautista, a county immigration attorney and the church’s children and youth group coordinator, who organized the ceremony.
John Ali Hoffman, Aracely Hoffman’s husband and the children’s father, is accused of their murders. Awaiting a court-ordered mental examination, the 49-year-old former rubbish hauler remains in custody in lieu of $2.75 million bail.
People queued for their turn to pay respects to Reynalda “Reyna” Isabel Urruela Pineda, mother and grandmother of the victims, and Celestino “Tito” Monroy Urruela, brother and uncle of the decedents.
An open casket bore the bodies of Aracely, Clara and John Hoffman Jr., who appeared for all the world to be napping together instead of lying in eternal repose.
Aracely Hoffman, a native of El Salvador, found Malia Puka O Kalani a perfect fit, perhaps because of a strong contingent of Spanish speakers in the Keaukaha church. Ramón Manuel Figueroa-Centeno, Hoffman’s friend and fellow parishioner, delivered her eulogy.
“You recognized the goodness and the kindness that was in her almost instantaneously, and as you go on digging about her life you learn details, but you do not learn any more about who she was, because your first impression of her was the correct one,” said Figueroa-Centeno, an associate professor of mathematics at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Figueroa-Centeno said Hoffman cleaned a home for a friend of his whose wife was arriving from off-island for her birthday.
“Aracely cleaned the house spotless, and I don’t want to offend anyone here, but she cleaned it in a way that only a Latin woman can clean,” he said. “And then she went out into the yard and cleaned the yard. And finally she left on the table a teddy bear with balloons to welcome her for her birthday.”
Figueroa recalled Hoffman as “always smiling, always laughing, even when she was in pain” and described her as “completely grateful, with not a moment’s envy of anything that anybody else has.”
Another friend, Vicki Nelson, described Hoffman as “very strong, very brave, a wonderful person” and said Hoffman cleaned her home, as well.
“There has never been anyone who has done such a good job. There will never be another one like her,” Nelson said, taking a long and emotional pause. “And everything was for her children.”
Nelson said when Hoffman left the home after cleaning it, she would take a plate of food “always for her children, not for her.”
Nelson noted her friend’s unshakable faith in God and said, “I believe that Aracely’s mother passed on her faith to Aracely.”
Touching on the violence that ended Aracely Hoffman’s and her children’s lives, Nelson asked, “How could we have done something?”
Nelson said she believes their souls are in Heaven and “their names are written in the Book of Life.”
Laura Huilca said she’ll remember Aracely Hoffman for “the kindness, the hard work, her beautiful soul.”
“Thank you, God, for Aracely and her children. Thank you so much,” she said.
Although rat lungworm disease affected John “Junior” Hoffman’s attention span and caused him to be hyperactive, his friend Timothy Tamashiro said, “Junior loved learning about God and Jesus.”
A whiteboard at the entrance of the room held handwritten letters from numerous classmates of Clara Hoffman, a second-grader at Keaau Elementary School. More than one writer called Clara their “best friend.” Most remember her as a smart, engaged student who would always raise her hand and participate in class.
“I will remember her by her smile. And her teaching me Spanish,” one wrote. Another said Clara “gave me two pairs of slippers because I never have any.”
Christine Gusman, who taught hula ‘auana to Clara Hoffman at Puna Baptist Church, recited a short poem she wrote for the girl.
“I only knew you a moment in time, but you’ll stay in my heart and help me find peace and joy through one tragic night that took you away to eternal flight. Someday we’ll meet in our heavenly home, and dance and play and joyfully roam.”
Steve Bader, Rose Bautista’s husband and longtime social services executive, said the family “had deep relationships with people.”
“They were so connected,” he said. “I don’t think people realized it, and I don’t think (Aracely Hoffman) would have realized how many people would come here for them.”
After the services, Aracely, Clara and John Hoffman Jr. were buried in Mauna Kea Memorial Park.
Other survivors include Belinda Janette Monroy Urruela, Aracely Hoffman’s sister and the children’s aunt, and Saul Ernesto Monroy Urruela, Aracely Hoffman’s sister and children’s uncle.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.