John Henry Hofmann was born on March 5, 1937 in Mason, Texas, the second child to Virgil Banks and Chester Victor Hofmann. John Henry, named for his two grandfathers, was a typical small town boy who spent hours hunting the Texas Hill Country and fishing the Llano and James Rivers. As a teen, John worked in the family lumber yard and funeral home. Brought up in the St. Paul Lutheran Church, John played football on the 1954 Mason Puncher Football state quarter-finals team, participated in the Puncher Band and was a proud member of the Mason High School Class of 1955.

John went on to attend Texas Lutheran College for one year before transferring to The University of Texas at Austin where he earned a dual degree in Business and Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1961. While at UT, John was a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi Honorary Business Fraternity.

After graduation, John served as an Assistant Attorney General of Texas under The Honorable Will Wilson, while also serving in the United States Army Reserve. He went on to marry fellow University of Texas coed and Menard native Gwendolyn Bean, and they settled in San Angelo where John joined the Griffis Law Firm, later becoming a name partner in the firm of Smith Davis Rose Finley and Hofmann.

He spent the latter part of his law career as a sole practitioner and served a term on the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas. In 1982, John became a board member of the Texas Lawyers' Insurance Exchange, serving the TLIE until his death. John was an active member of the Tom Green County Bar Association and enjoyed his fellow West Texas lawyers. John loved the law and never walked away from a good argument. Often called a "bulldog" in the courtroom, he found much fulfilment in helping other people through his legal practice.

Everyone who knew John knew how much he loved the Texas Longhorns. The man bled orange – from his burnt orange monogram on everything from dress shirts to his hunting camo, to orange "JH" on trashcans, tools and almost everything he owned. There was no doubt he loved the University and was a proud alum, active with the Tom Green County Texas Exes.

But his greatest love was teaching his children and grandchildren to hunt, fish and properly handle a gun. He loved to give family and friends knives – his only requirement was a penny in return so as to not "sever" the friendship. "Grandaddy Hofmann" also loved to surprise his grandkids with special coins, just as his grandfather Henry Hofmann had done when he was a child.

John died peacefully in his home in San Angelo on March 25 ^th , just two weeks after a memorable 82 ^nd birthday celebration with his family whom he loved dearly. He is survived by his son, John Banks (Shannon) Hofmann, his daughter Suzanne Kay Hofmann (Stephen) Erickson, grandchildren Grant James, Emma Jane and Rhett Wellborn Hofmann; John Carpenter, David Stengel and William Elias "Eli" Erickson; and beloved friend, Ann Capps. He was preceded in death by his parents and by one sister, Wilma Kay Hofmann Hoffman and brother-in-law, Kenneth Hoffman.

Funeral services will take place on Sunday, March 31 at 2:00 pm at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mason, Texas. Visitation will be Saturday, March 30 from 4:00 until 6:00 pm at the Mason Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the John Henry Hofmann Scholarship c/o of the Mason ISD Scholarship Foundation, 200 Ft. McKavitt Street, Mason, TX 76856.