Salyards Hofmeister

The family of Salyards Hofmeister wishes to share with his friends the news of his passing on Tuesday, March 11, 2008. He was 86 years old. Salyards Hofmeister loved to fly as a young man of 17 years old and was known to do "barrel rolls" occasionally over Lake Minnetonka where he grew up, almost causing his Mother, Myra Salyards Hofmeister, to nearly faint with worry on each roll-over maneuver she witnessed. Despite his Mother's concerns, he was an accomplished pilot. When World War II broke out, he served his country in the Air Transport Command, a specialized unit of the Air Force, supplying our troops abroad and visiting unusual parts of the world delivering the necessary war materials needed at the constant risk of being shot down at any given moment by the enemy. He was a Veteran of World War II as his father, Carl Hofmeister, was a Veteran of World War I - both were pilots. After the war was over, Salyards Hofmeister was hired on as one of the first pilots for Pan American Airways. Very quickly he became a Captain for Pan Am at a very young age for their newly formed passenger service in the aviation world at that time. Salyards Hofmeister married Jeanne ("Mits") Groth, his wife of 45 years, until 1989 when she preceded him in death. Dedicated to his family, Salyards Hofmeister had left Pan American Airlines and worked in the stock brokerage business most of his later years in Minneapolis and St Cloud, Minnesota.      Salyards graduated later in life from the University of Minnesota, as flying, the war and having a family took precedence at that time over his schooling. He completed his college BA degree in business in his mid 40's. Aside from Sal's passion for flying, he also loved sailing, maintaining a gaff rig C-boat and an X-boat on Lake Minnetonka, Wayzata, Minnesota for many years and a small sloop in Florida during his retirement in 1982 on Sanibel Island, Florida. He was, with flying and sailing, a navigational expert. In addition, skiing and golf were favored by Mr. Hofmeister as the Hofmeisters were frequent visitors to Aspen, Colorado; purchasing one of the first condo's built in the newly constructed Snowmass Ski Area in Snowmass, Colorado in 1970. Salyards Hofmeister was beyond all doubt always a gentleman in the highest regard of the word. He was always thoughtful and caring of others and dedicated to his family. He will be missed by his family and the many friends that he leaves behind. He is survived by his four children - Susan McCoy of Aspen, Colorado, Sally Hofmeister of Minnetrista, Minnesota, Scott Hofmeister of Louisville, Colorado, Shelley Becklund of Underwood, Minnesota and one grandchild, Sage Becklund, also of Underwood, Minnesota. Also remaining of his family is his sister Zita Hawley Wright, her three children, MacDonald Hawley, James Hawley and Lane Hawley Cole and her five grandchildren, along with many cousins and family in Duluth, Minnesota. Services in celebration of Salyards Hofmeister's life will be announced at a later date.