Gerald N. "Jerry" Hoffman's Obituary
Gerald N. (Jerry) Hoffman, 90, of Syracuse passed away peacefully at home after a prolonged illness.
A native of Syracuse, Mr. Hoffman graduated from Cathedral Academy in 1953, and was president of his senior class there. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Syracuse University, In his senior year, he was sports director of WAER-FM and broadcast play-by-play of the first ever Syracuse University’s men’s basketball games in the NCAA Tournament after the 1957 regular season. After college graduation, he was a sports reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard, sports publicity director at Le Moyne College, a radio-TV reporter and announcer for WSYR Radio and Television and Assistant Director of the News Bureau at Syracuse University. Mr. Hoffman then served as executive assistant to New York State Senator Tarky Lombardi, Jr.
From 1981 to 2014, Mr. Hoffman served as Chief Executive Officer of the Onondaga County Medical Society. In 2013, he received the Distinguished Service Award, the Society’s highest award: the first time that a non-physician ever received this award. In 1987, he was a co-founder of the New York State County and Specialty Societies annual conference and was co-chair for the 1987, 1996, 2003 and 2009 conferences. He was a co-author of two books, “Medical Malpractice Insurance, a Legislator’s View,” published by Syracuse University Press in 1978 and “The History of Local Medical Care, 1806-2006, Celebrating Physicians Past and Present,” published in 2007 by Omnipress of Madison, Wisconsin. He was a regular columnist for MD News Central New York edition.
Mr. Hoffman was a past treasurer of the Syracuse Press Club, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Onondaga Community College Foundation, the Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s Advisory Board, the Naval Academy Advisory Board for Congressman James Walsh, the Search Committee for Director of Van Duyn Home and Hospital and the Government Relations Committee of the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and Center State CEO. He was a campaign manager for many local political campaigns, including the Syracuse Common Council, County Legislature, State Assembly, State Senate, City Court and State Supreme Court. When Congressman Walsh was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1988 elections, Mr. Hoffman chaired the Transition Committee charged with providing the new Congressman with recommendations for staff positions in his new district and his Washington office. For several years, Mr. Hoffman served as committeeman for the Town of Onondaga Republican Committee.
On December 28, 1963, Mr. Hoffman married Elizabeth Ann Sommers, a schoolteacher in the North Syracuse School District, who was from Delhi, New York. The Hoffmans had two children, Thomas Reed Hoffman (Mary Ann) of Alexandria, Virginia and Kathleen Hoffman Davis (Stephen) of Fayetteville, New York. Other survivors include four grandchildren, Catherine Mary (Hoffman) Oleck, Brian Sommers Hoffman, Casey Elizabeth Hoffman and Connor Thomas Hoffman, a step grandson, Louis Davis, a niece, Jean Osta Mills (Tim), a nephew Timothy Osta (Jen), a grandniece, Olivia Niemi, and three grandnephews, Jack Niemi, Will Osta and Charlie Osta. Mr. Hoffman was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Isabel Hoffman, a brother, James J. Hoffman, a nephew, James J. Hoffman, Jr. and a step grandson, Joshua Davis.
The Hoffman family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the extraordinarily compassionate and dedicated caregivers who made Jerry’s final years at home as comfortable as possible.
An hour of visitation will be held at Holy Cross Church at 4112 E. Genesee Street, DeWitt, NY on Friday, July 3, 2026 from 9:45 to 10:45 am. A funeral Mass of Christian Burial then will be celebrated at Holy Cross at 11:00 am.
Contributions in Jerry’s memory may be made to the Jerry Hoffman Advocacy Award.
You can mail your donation by check or credit card to Upstate Medical Alumni Foundation, Setnor Bldg 1510, 750 East Adams St, Syracuse, NY 13210.
Please make checks payable to the Upstate Medical Alumni Foundation, Jerry Hoffman Advocacy Award.
For Secure Online giving, visit:
https://medalumni.upstate.edu/donate
In the “I want to support” drop down box, please select Jerry Hoffman Advocacy Award.
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