Joe Hohlfeld died peacefully on January 24, 2013, at University of Iowa Hospital, surrounded by family members. Joe was born May 6, 1926, to Oscar L. Hohlfeld and Agnes J. (Kealy) Hohlfeld, the fifth of five children. He graduated from St. Cecilia's High School, Hastings, Nebraska, in 1944, and immediately entered the U. S. Navy, serving in the Pacific Theater. Upon honorable discharge in 1946, he married Theresa Janda. He was called back to active duty in the Korean War, and honorably discharged the second time in 1953.
Joe and Theresa had four daughters, seven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. Their daughters are: Connie Molbeck of Racine, Wisconsin, Cindy Marsh of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Chris Heth of Des Moines, Iowa, and Cheri Docter of Waterloo, Iowa. Joe was preceded in death by his parents and all his sisters and brothers.
Joe's career was teaching mathematics. He taught in Elm Creek, Nebraska, at Price Laboratory School, UNI, and at Columbus High School, Waterloo. He also served AEA7 as Educational Consultant for Mathematics and Computer Science. In 1986, Joe was one of three state-level recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching. He earned his bachelor's degree at Hastings College, Hastings, Nebraska, his master's at the University of Colorado, and his doctorate at Indiana University.
He was a longtime member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics, School Science and Mathematics Association, and Phi Delta Kappa. He wrote many articles for both state and national publications on topics in mathematics education and computer science education.
Joe was a member of St. Stephen Catholic Student Center on the UNI campus. He was active in the Cedar Falls Kiwanis Club, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and (for ten years) the Disaster Action Team of the American Red Cross. He also spent some volunteer time in Habitat for Humanity and Heifer Project International. In retirement he learned to speak Spanish and enjoyed traveling to Spanish-speaking countries.
In lieu of flowers, Joe requests that contributions be made to Hastings Catholic Schools, 111 North Burlington Avenue, Hastings, Nebraska 68901; St. Stephen The Witness Catholic Student Center; St. Patrick Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul; or Columbus High School, 3231 W. 9th Street, Waterloo, Iowa 50702.
A mass will be held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 705 Main Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa, at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 29, 2013. Friends are welcome to join the family for a meal at the church following the service. Joe has donated his body to science at the University of Iowa. Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Copyright Waterloo Courier on-line edition; downloaded January 28, 2013.