Dr. Dietrich Karl Hoffmann

Dietrich K Hoffmann, a 46-year resident of Larchmont, NY, entered eternal life on April 20, 2011. He died at his home, having suffered Parkinson's disease for more than 20 years. He was born in Danzig, Germany, on December 10, 1924, the son of Willy Hoffmann, M.D., and Hella Hoffmann, nee von Jarchow. After WWII, through the efforts of the Red Cross, he was eventually re-united with his family who had fled Danzig in 1945, and resided, unbeknownst to their son, in Niebuell, Schleswig Holstein. He matriculated at the University of Kiel earning his required diplomas in Chemistry, then joined the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Tuebingen and Munich and attained a "Dr rer nat"� (Ph.D.) under the tutelage of Nobel Laureate, Professor Dr. Adolf Butenandt in 1957. In the same year he joined the noted cancer prevention pioneer, Ernst L. Wynder, M.D. (" 1999) at the Sloan Kettering Memorial Cancer Center in New York to enter what was to become a 42-year long collaboration in the field of environmental cancer research, For the most part, this took place at the American Health Foundation (AHF) in Valhalla, NY (1975-2004). Dr Hoffmann was Chief of the Division of Environmental Carcinogenesis and also served as Associate Director at the AHF's Naylor Dana Institute for Disease Prevention (1980-1995). As a member of the Division of Cancer Etiology and Prevention (since 1995) he continued his work with the AHF and its successor, the Institute for Cancer Prevention (IFCP) until 2004. He made more than 500 contributions to the scientific literature as primary investigator, co-author and/or editor; he also was a reviewer of professional journals, and organized national and international symposia in his research fields. Dr. Hoffmann had served as an advisor and expert to various U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory Committees on the Health Consequences of Tobacco Use, Canadian Advisory Committees on Involuntary Smoking and on Reduction of Cigarette Smoke Toxicity, the U.S. National Cancer Institute, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the World Health Organization's Study Group on Smokeless Tobacco. His research achievements and collaboration were recognized by the 1994 Westchester County Distinguished Chemist Award of the American Chemical Society, the Cosmetic Ingredients Review Panel of the Cosmetic, Toiletries, and Fragrance Association in 1993, the National Academy of Sciences, the Alton Ochsner Award Relating Smoking and Health, 2001; the Institute for Science and Health, St Louis, MO, 2001; the National Conference on Tobacco and Health in Boston, MA, 2003; and by the Tobacco Science Research Conference Lifetime Achievement Award, 2004. Dietrich Hoffmann was a member of the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Chemical Society, a fellow of the American Chemical Institute; member of the American Society for Preventive Oncology, Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, NY Academy of Sciences, Phytochemical Society of America, Society of Toxicology, Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. He treasured being a member and Past President of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church White Plains, NY, and of the Steuben Society of America and its National Council. Not surprisingly, his work was his hobby while he was enthusiastic about the Yankees, and the NY Rangers. He enjoyed soccer, wherever he could find it. He was also a great armchair quarterback, favoring the Giants. Dietrich Hoffmann is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ilse (Lemm) Hoffmann, sons Peter Hoffmann, Ralph Hoffmann, and grandson Eric K. Hoffmann. His sister, Jutta Vorberg Hoffmann of Zuerich, Switzerland, predeceased him in 2003. Burial will be private. A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held at St. Matthew's Church at a date to be announced. Donations in the memory of Dietrich Hoffmann may be made to St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, White Plains, the Steuben Society of America, or the National Parkinson Foundation. The family wishes to express sincere gratitude to all those involved in giving Dietrich care over so many years: the doctors, nurses, therapists, and aides at White Plains Hospital, at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, the Burke Rehabilitation Center in White Plains, the Sarah Neuman Nursing Home in Mamaroneck, the Wartburg in Mount Vernon, and the King Street Nursing Home, in Rye Brook. Special thanks go to our private aides and the caring teams of the Visiting Nurse Services of Westchester, and Hospice White Plains. Thanks be to God for all, including neighbors and the friends in our congregation and in the Steuben Society of America, relatives overseas, and former coworkers whose prayers and good wishes mean so much.