Loss

Yesterday a great man that I have had the pleasure to work with and get to know over the past 10 years passed away. We got the phone call on Thursday night that he was alive, but just barely and to please pray. All night I kept having thoughts of what had lined up for his family for the past couple of months prior to this surgery and knew that Heavenly Father was already preparing to take care of the family he left behind. As I drove to work yesterday morning, I had that thought that it would be a solemn day. A few minutes after I got to work, my dad walked in and told me that he had passed away at about 1 am. 

Our first customers of the day could tell something was going on as we were all quiet with tears streaming down our faces or we had red puffy eyes. Rick was more than just an employee at Ipaco, he was a huge part of our Ipaco family. As I had never worked there without him, it is still hard to believe that he will not be returning. He was such a great man who was willing to help anyone with anything. He even recovered my office chair and for the past couple of weeks had been nagging me to let him buff my headlights on my car. 

I have never felt a loss like this as I haven't really had anyone I knew well, that was part of my everyday life, pass away. I tried to work and the tears just came in waves all morning. By the time I left work, I had such a horrible headache from crying. Then I went home and shed some more.

My heart aches for the family that he left behind and that we won't get to visit with him everyday and benefit from his positive attitude and giving nature. I looked up to him and am so grateful that I was able to get to know him and learn from him!

I decided to put his obituary and some wonderful things that my dad said about him both as an employer/co-worker, but also as a friend.

Obituary:

Richard Thornton Hofland

1970-2014

Logan - Richard Thornton Hofland, 43, returned to his heavenly home on Friday, April 4, 2014, at Salt Lake City's University Hospital due to excessive bleeding during surgery on his congenital birth defect.

Rick was born on Oct. 3, 1970, in Helena, Montana, and was the son of Ray and Doretta Hofland and Mary Fussell. He grew up in Helena and graduated from Capital High School in 1989 with his sweetheart, Leslie Marie Tangen. They were married a year later on June 8, 1990, were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple on June 8, 1991, and welcomed their first child, daughter Sydney Anne, on June 8, 1992.

Their second daughter, Courtney Maree, joined the family a short 10 ½ months later on April 24, 1993, while he was attending Montana State University. These were challenging times, but they hung in there, and their marriage just kept improving from that point on. Sarah Primavera joined the family on April 7, 1998, and Rick and Leslie were thrilled to welcome a son, Nickolas Lee, on January 20, 2000.

Rick tried his hand at many different jobs over the years but couldn't ever find the right fit in Helena, so he packed up his family and moved to Logan in 2001. After a few more tries, he was hired on at Ipaco 10 years ago, and it was a marriage made in heaven. Rick loved his job, loved the people he worked with, and loved helping customers get exactly what they needed. He will be sorely missed there.

Rick was a people person. He loved helping others and felt important and needed when people asked him for advice or assistance. He was very talented with his hands and could fix just about anything. He was also very talented at sewing and made many seat covers over the years.

He loved to ride his bicycle and prided himself on commuting to and from work every day, even in the cold and/or hazardous conditions. He also loved to hike, especially with his brothers-in-law, fish, camp, and cook, but above all else, he loved doing things with his family. Whether it was a musical concert, parent-teacher conference, or just helping with a project, Rick was there for his wife and children and supported and encouraged them in all of their activities. He adored his wife (his "kitten") and was extremely proud of his children and their many accomplishments. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for them.

Rick, you dear, sweet, funny man, you will be greatly missed by all who knew you, but we are grateful you are free from the pain and disability you quietly suffered all your life. May the time seem short until we are with you again.

The family would like to thank the doctors and medical personnel at the University Hospital for their heroic efforts in attempting to preserve Rick's life in an extremely difficult situation.

Rick is survived by his wife, Leslie, their four children, his parents, and a sister, Randa, of Hill City, SD. He is preceded in death by his sister, Dawn, and all six of his grandparents.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 11, at the Logan River chapel, 993 West 1000 South. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 12, at the same location. Funeral services begin at 11 am following the visitation. Burial will be at the Logan City Cemetery immediately following the funeral service.

There will be a celebration of Rick's life in Helena at a later date.

If desired, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made at Ipaco in Logan.

Ipaco's Website:

We here at Ipaco have suffered a great loss. Rick Hofland, an employee of 10 years and a very cherished friend, passed away Friday, April 4th, due to complications during surgery. His passing came as an extreme blow to us and so many of the customers he associated with. We have been touched by all of those who have offered so much by way of condolences and monetary contributions to his family. We are so very fortunate to associate with so many good people.

One of my heroes died today. a man without guile, and one who taught me to understand the meaning of the word meek. Someone who had right to complain, but would not, He was optimistic, caring, generous and made everyone who he came in contact with feel as if they were the most important person. How does the world keep going when someone like that leaves it? How can the day to day keep rolling on without such an important cog? It can not! Plain and simple it will have to run kiltered for a while until it can right itself anew.