Mrs. Iris Eleane Hofmann Follingstad

July 23, 1922 - May 6, 2016

Iris Eleane Hofmann Follingstad July 23, 1922 – May 6, 2016 Iris died peacefully the morning of May 6th in the foster care home where she enjoyed living for her final year of life. In the months preceding her death, Iris enjoyed frequent visits with family and friends and continued to live life to the fullest until the last hours of her life. Born in Johnstown, PA, she was raised by William and Rhoda (Mabey) Hofmann. The family migrated to Chicago in 1929 where she graduated from Schurz HS. She met Raymond at their Salem Church and they were married in 1943. They were a great team and thoroughly enjoyed their sixty years together. Iris was an outgoing, loving person who was genuinely interested in everyone and could make friends with anyone. She devoted herself to her family, enjoyed writing poetry, cooking for others and corresponding with many scores of family and friends. She worked a variety of factory and office jobs in Chicago, and after retirement to Mesa, AZ, she worked in the office of Grace Church which she helped found. She met her many life challenges with courage and good natured humor and was an inspiration to all who met her. Iris was predeceased by her husband Raymond in 2003 and her oldest daughter, Carol in 2011. She is survived by her daughters, Joyce, Portland, OR and Diane (Al Scovern), Lexington, KY, her grandson, Cary Fontana, two “adopted” daughters, Blanca Gray, Palatine, IL and Griska Gray, Chicago, IL, and her “adopted” granddaughter, Dawa Sherpa (David Justice), Wennachee, WA. As the 11th of 12 children, Iris is survived also by her last remaining sibling, Ruth Taylor of Tuscon, AZ and a large extended family. In 2008, Iris moved to Oregon where she lived her final 8 years. All who knew her will miss her sparkling blue eyes and her loving ways. There will be a viewing for Iris on Saturday, May 14th from 1:00pm-5:00pm at Zeller Chapel of the Roses, 2107 NE Broadway, Portland, OR. There will be a funeral held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 3, 2016, at Mountain View Funeral Home in Mesa where she will be laid to rest with her beloved, Raymond in Mount View Memorial Gardens.