Dorris Hoffman

Dorris Martens Hoffman NORTHPORT Dorris Martens Hoffman, age 94, of Northport, died May 10, 2013, at Glen Haven Health & Rehabilitation. Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Gulf Shores United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. Jim Robey officiating. Burial will follow in Pine Rest Cemetery in Magnolia Springs with Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South directing. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Carl E. Martens and Harry "Pete"� Hoffman; her father, Robert Pannell; her mother, Maud Veal; her brother, Kenneth Wier; her sister, Florence Seals; her son, D. Carl Martens; and her daughter, Linda M. Bauer. Survivors include her daughter, Joanna M. Cates (Ken Crawford) of Moundville; her sister, Hellen Simmons of Pelham; her stepdaughter, Robin Hoffman of Birmingham; her son-in-law, James L. Bauer of Gulf Shores; her daughter-in-law, Cynthia Martens of Monroeville; her grandchildren, Luke "Chip"� Cates (Sara Margaret) of Northport, Cindy Lake (Brennon) of Northport, Dan Bauer (Aimee), Wendy Mills (Mike), and Aaron Bauer, all of Gulf Shores, Carl "Bubba"� Martens (Bonnie) of Camden, Charlie Martens (Bradley) and Carly Jo Martens, both of Monroeville, Adrienne Steltenpohl of Alexandria, Va., and Callie Wheeler of Bellaire, Texas; and 19 great-grandchildren. The following was written by Dorris in her notebook a few years ago: "I was born on a creek bank in Elmore County one beautiful day in May [May 17, 1918]. The country doctor came to the house in a one horse buggy powered by an old gray mare. I spent the next 66 years in the "Magic City"� of Birmingham. After one year of college I married Carl E. Martens and we had three children""a son and two daughters. Another beautiful day in May their father and I sat in the bleachers at the University of Alabama and watched our three children graduate on the same day""a doctor, a surgical nurse, and a medical technologist!! It was the happiest day of my life."� When Dorris was 50 years old she returned to college and earned her B.S. and Masters degrees in recreation. She worked for the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board until retirement. She then moved to Gulf Shores and became an active leader of the Gulf Shores United Methodist Church and the Gull Shores Beautification Board. She became a Master Gardener. She enjoyed traveling with her second husband Harry "Pete"� Hoffman. She also organized many activities for the church. She was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She would travel anywhere to watch events in which they participated. They also went to every Alabama football game they could. She spent her life serving others. She was a choir director while in Birmingham for a large church. They appeared on television one Easter. On the day she died, she was singing "Jesus Loves Me"�. The Lord will be happy to have a choir director in heaven. Pallbearers will be Luke "Chip"� Cates, Dan Bauer, Aaron Bauer, Charlie Martens, Carl "Bubba"� Martens, and Brennan Lake. Honorary pallbearers are members of Gulf Shores United Methodist Church and Havana United Methodist Church, her many friends in the Gulf Shores community, and her personal caregiver and friend Millie Jefferson of Northport. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Gulf Shores United Methodist Church.