Laura Hoffarth

Laura Margaret (Drake) Hoffarth passed away on August 29, 2024, with her sister Edna at her side.  She was 94 years old and had lived independently until May of 2024 when she entered Eventide in Jamestown, ND.

Laura was born May 8th, 1930, (a Thursday at 3:30 a.m.) to Helen (Hanner) and Clarence Drake at Mama Nelson’s farmhouse in Benson County, North Dakota. She joined siblings Jean and Phyllis. Laura said she weighed 7 pounds and had her 1st tooth at 12 days old.

Laura attended grades 1-8 at Lone Tree #2 School District. Graduated from Central High School, Devils Lake, ND in 1948.

Laura said life was busy growing up on a farm. She did not mind and even liked chores such as taking care of the animals and milking cows. However, shocking grain by hand was not fun and she stated wheat was the worst.  Laura recalled one day when putting down the morning bedding in the barn in preparation for animals evening return, one of the sows carefully, mouth by mouth collected the bedding and moved it to her “place.” Laura recalled how electricity didn’t come to the Lynn place where they were living until late 1940’s.

After High School Laura worked for an ice cream store and then, for 3 years as a live-in babysitter for Leever’s in Devils Lake, ND. She then moved to Minot, ND where she waitressed and stocked shelve at a Woolworth store. It was during this time that she met her future husband, Peter James Hoffarth. They married on October 23, 1951, in Minot, ND. Peter and Laura continue to live Minot where she worked various jobs such as Ellison’s lunch counter and the Catholic Hospital kitchen as a special diet cook.

Peter and Laura lived in Bemidj, MN area October 1969 to May 1971 where Laura milked cows at a grade B dairy.  1973 found Laura working on a potato farm in Bagley, MN. She said, “you could tell when a rock was coming down the line as it rattled on the wooden conveyor.” While in Minnesota she also worked at Eventide. They moved to Enid Oklahoma where Laura worked at a Catholic Hospital. Catholic hospitals have a fond place in her heart as they were good places to work, and they treated their employees well. In 1977 Laura and Peter moved to Washington state. While living in Marysville, WA she worked at Everett General Hospital. In 1978 Peter had lawn mowing jobs which Laura would help with. They sold the house in 1987 and purchased another one.

Peter passed April 29, 1988, of a massive heart attack. Laura retired. March 1989, she had cancer surgery. January 1991 Laura sold her house and moved in with a gentleman friend, Harold, to help with his care.

Summer 2005 Laura was warming up in sunny Prescott Valley, AZ. The pull of North Dakota was strong, and she returned to North Dakota in September 2005. She lived at Gardenette Housing in Jamestown, ND until 2022. Then moved to Legacy Senior Living apartments where it was a short jog down the hall to visit her sister, Frances.

Laura enjoyed bingo, jigsaw puzzles, and reading. When watching TV she prefered animal shows.  Her favorites color was red and she liked flowers (especially daffodils and gladiolus).

Laura is survived by sister Edna Johnson, Napolean, ND; Donna Aldinger, Prescott Valley, AZ; Francis Brooks, Jamestown, ND; Kenneth Drake, Sheyenne, ND; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Laura was preceded in death by her parents Helen (Hanner) and Clarence Drake; sisters Jean Maher, Phylis Knoff, Mary Vogel; brothers Lauren, John, and Doug; and nieces and nephews.

Laura will be interred in Hillside Cemetery, Oberon ND with many of her family members.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, September 7, 2024 at the Drake Shop, Sheyenne, ND.

Eddy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.