Jennie Hofer, 90, passed away on Christmas morning, 2023, in her home in Clovis, CA, surrounded by her daughters, their husbands, her grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Jennie is survived by her sister Esther Berg, her children, Nancy Gary Ward and her husband, Drew Ward; Marianne Ruth Madison and her husband, Dale Madison; her grandchildren, Ashley and her husband Aaron Lemen, Elijah Madison and his wife, Tamara, Rebekah Madison, Rachel and her husband David Fujihara, Annaleah Madison, and Noah Madison; and her great grandchildren, Everett Lemen, Audrey Lemen, Olivet Fujihara, Sarai Madison, Autumn Fujihara, Ruth Madison, Ezra Madison, Lemon Jewel Fujihara, Riggin Fujihara and Reeve Fujihara.

Jennie was born Regina Rosella Peters on July 26th, 1933. She was the eighth child of Henry K. Peters and Elizabeth Boldt Peters. Her parents owned a farm growing peaches, plums and grapes in the thriving Mennonite community of Reedley, California. She attended Windsor School and Immanuel High School and was an active member of the Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church. She was baptized in the Kings River at twelve years old, and carried the lifelong desire that her children, and each generation thereafter, would also repent and believe, loving and following Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

She went on to complete two years of college at Pacific Bible Institute in Fresno, California, where she took general education classes as well as art classes and began to show real talent in charcoal and pastels.

She married James William Gary of Roanoke, Virginia in 1955. The couple met through dear family friends in Reno, Nevada, where they made their first home after the wedding in Reedley, California.

She worked for the local newspaper in Reno. On Christmas day, 1958, their first child, Nancy, was born. Jennie enjoyed being a mother, and became a full time homemaker. She and Jim were part of a tight-knit group of friends from their church that stayed close for decades.

In 1959, they moved back to Fresno, California for four years to be close to family.

In 1963, due to Jim's promotion, they moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where their second child, Marianne, was born in 1964. Jennie continued to enjoy making a home and raising her girls to love the Lord.

In 1966, the family moved to Clearfield, Utah near Hill Air Force base. She took a position with the Internal Revenue Service, and continued to work in various roles for nearly thirty years.

In 1968, the family moved again to Kokomo, Indiana, where they lived for seven years. She enjoyed her children and all of their activities, while being active in church and working for the IRS.

In 1975, they moved back to Fresno, where she lived closer to her beloved family. She continued to work and enjoy many friendships, until she retired at the age of 62. After the death of her husband Jim, in 1998, she enjoyed travel and lunch dates with friends and family.

Two years later, she met Jonas Hofer in 2000 and they were married shortly thereafter. They enjoyed a very happy marriage for 17 years full of family, travel and service. These were wonderful years for Jennie and she cherished her new extended family and all their activities, and membership at North Fresno Mennonite Brethren Church.

After the death of Jonas in 2017, Jennie soon went to live with her daughter Marianne in Clovis, California, where she lived in loving care until her passing.