Due to limitations caused by the coronavirus, most events like funerals, weddings and birthday parties are limited to only family members for attendees. That wasn’t going to keep residents of Artesian and the surrounding area from paying their respects to a prominent member of their community.

On Saturday, May 9, Jim Hoffman, whose funeral was that morning, was honored with vehicles and farm machinery full of friends and family and community members lined along both sides of Artesian’s Main Street from the First Lutheran Church to Highway 34. Everyone was there to support Hoffman’s family and to give him the wonderful sendoff he deserved since they couldn’t attend his funeral service.

Once the family escorted Hoffman from the church and down the street in their vehicles, 47 cars, three fire trucks and 20 pieces of machinery followed them in a procession to the Hoffman farm, about a mile north of Artesian, and continued to the cemetery. The entire event was a very respectful and incredibly honorable and moving moment. It was a farewell perfectly suited for a man who loved farming and his rural community and made them an integral part of his entire life. 

…See a photo in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!