About Us
Our Valued Staff
Blaschke Schneider
Adam Schneider
Elaine Berg
Kathy Lorenz
Larry Hoppe
Funeral Directors
Gary Hoff
MN and WI Licensed Funeral Director | Certified Funeral Celebrant | Owner
Gary is a 1981 graduate of St. Charles High School in St. Charles, MN. He attended Winona State University in Winona, MN for two years and the University of MN Duluth for one year. He graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in March of 1985. Gary served his year of internship at the Olson – Schwartz Funeral Home in Bemidji, MN. He then worked at Ranfranz Funeral Home in Rochester, MN until 1992, when he moved to Rushford, MN to join the family business. He is active in his community serving on the church council and in the Rushford Lions Club, where he runs the annual Rushford Lions Childrens Fund Golfathon. Gary also enjoys coaching in the Rushford Elementary Wrestling Program. In his spare time enjoys golfing, cross country ski racing, water skiing, and fishing. Gary and his wife Sue have four children.
Tim Hoff
MN and WI Licensed Funeral Director | Certified Funeral Celebrant | Owner
Tim is a graduate of St. Charles High School and a 1980 graduate of the University of MN, Department of Mortuary Science. Tim joined Tim’s father Lowell in 1983. Tim is involved in the Children’s Grief Connection, which offers Hearts of Hope family grief camp. Tim is past president of the MN Funeral Directors Association and the Lewiston Lions Club. He and Jenny have four children, Ashley, Alyssa, Danielle and Tyler. Tim serves as a funeral director.
Cole Skadsem
MN and WI Licensed Funeral Director | Certified Crematory Operator | Certified Funeral Celebrant
Cole was raised on the Iron Range in Chisholm, MN, and is a 2017 graduate of the Mortuary Science Program at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. It was there he met his wife and future funeral director, Laine, on their orientation day. Cole and Laine began their careers in Hudson, WI, and spent nearly two years in the St. Cloud area before deciding it was time to settle in St. Charles and eagerly join the Hoff team.
Cole receives his funeral service pedigree from his cousin, Matt, of Bertas Funeral Home in Chaska, MN. He became determined to help others through grief and loss following the death of his grandfather, Bill, during his senior year of high school.
Outside of work, Cole can be found playing basketball in one of the many area gyms, shooting triple-bogey on a par 4, or hiking trails at a state park with Laine.
Maddie Schmoker
MN Funeral Director Intern | WI Licensed Apprentice | Certified Crematory Operator
Maddie is a 2017 graduate of Wabasha-Kellogg High School. She went on to study at Iowa Central Community College for two years and earned her Associates of Arts and Associates of Science, Pre-Mortuary Science. She competed in Track and Field, throwing the shot put, hammer, and weight and became a 3-time NJCAA All-American.
She then transferred to Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan to earn her bachelor’s of Mortuary Science. She continued competing in track, throwing amongst one of the most difficult NCAA Division II
conferences, The GLIAC. She was a member of the Mortuary Science students committee, Sports Entertainment and Business Association, and she held a director position for her sorority; Alpha Gamma Delta.
In her free time, she enjoys snowmobiling, golfing, boating, playing volleyball, and softball. Maddie is currently a mentor for future Wayne State University Mortuary Science students. After graduating she moved back to her hometown to be back in the community where she grew up. In Maddie's words, "It is an honor and a privilege to work alongside the Hoff's. I truly enjoy the work that I do. I will continue to grow throughout my internship and I am excited to see the future that lies ahead of me."
Ashley Hoff-Czaplewski
MN and WI Licensed Funeral Director | Certified Crematory Operator | Certified Funeral Celebrant
Ashley is a licensed funeral director in MN and WI. She is also a certified funeral celebrant and certified crematory operator. She received her degree in mortuary science from the University of MN.
Ashley is a third generation funeral director, following in her grandpa, dad and uncle’s footsteps. She says, “I love my job. I truly enjoy helping people through one of the most difficult times in their lives and helping them find creative ways to celebrate and remember the person who died.”
She and her husband, Brandon, live just outside of Winona. They have two children, Brooks (5) and Tessa (2) who keep them on their toes. Ashley enjoys spending time on the river, hunting, hiking throughout their property and spending time with family and friends.
Lisa Hawkinson
Preplanning Specialist
Lisa is from small town Elysian, MN, and moved to Winona to attend Winona State University where she received a degree in Social Work. She has remained in Winona where she and her husband Matt, have raised their 3 children. After spending 18 years driving her kids around and volunteering in their activities, it was time to channel her energy elsewhere.
She joined December 2018 as a PrePlanning Specialist helping people plan their funerals in advance. She enjoys meeting new people each day and listening to their life story. Although death isn’t an easy topic to talk about or to plan for, people are relieved once they have planned as it helps ease the stress for the family. One of the most rewarding parts of her day is making people feel at ease knowing they have their final wishes planned and financially taken care of.
In her spare time, Lisa enjoys spending time with her family and friends, volunteering, being outdoors, reading a book and doing puzzles.
Support Staff
Sue Hoff
Office Manager | Funeral Assistant
Sue was raised in Hayward, WI and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a degree in Dental Hygiene. Sue began her career at Mayo Clinic in the periodontics section of the Dental Department. She is married to Gary and they have four children, Gretchen, Alex, Nick and Olivia.
Sue enjoys being active in the Rushford community. Currently, she is a board member of the R-P Mat Club, is president of Rushford-Peterson’s Partners in Education, a Knowledge Bowl volunteer/coach, and a member of the Rushford-Peterson School Design Team. She has been a Girl Scout Leader, Sunday School Teacher, and is a past member of the Rushford Community Foundation.
In her free time Sue enjoys reading, sewing, and knitting. She is passionate about photography, especially sports photography. Some of Sue’s outdoor pursuits include straw bale gardening, walking her two Labs, cross country skiing, and biking the Root River Trail.
Jenny Hoff
Office Manager | Certified Funeral Celebrant
Jenny wears a variety of hats at the Funeral Home. Some days, she’s behind the desk managing an office, and other days, Jenny might be fulfilling her role as certified funeral celebrant, assisting families in planning unique and memorable services for their loved one.
Her goal is to always inspire the families she serves and to celebrate lives in meaningful ways. Jenny contributes to the mission by helping families understand that while the service is about the person who died, it is truly for the family who is left behind. “Services help families start to heal and to begin to figure out how to live life without their loved one in it.”
Jenny grew up in New Prague, MN and today calls St. Charles, MN home. Jenny and her husband Tim have four grown children and 5 grandchildren. Being a grandma is her favorite role.
Another hat she wears? The MN Vikings, much to the dismay of her Packer-loving family. Time spent golfing and enjoying their lake home are also at the top of her list. Jenny and Tim are active with the Children’s Grief Connection, a camp for families who have lost someone special.
