Date of Birth:
Wednesday, August 14, 1957
Date of Death:
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Age:
63 years old

Stacey Hoffman York

Stacey Hoffman York, 63, of Spring Valley MN passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, July 27, 2021 in a tragic car accident.

Stacey was born August 14, 1957 in Santa Monica, CA. to William (Bill) and Cornelia (Connie) York. She graduated from Foothills High School in 1975 and later from Saddleback Community College. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 1984 and Masters degree at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, California in 1986.

On November 18,1995, she married Dennis Hoffman. The couple lived in Spring Valley, MN and had just purchased a lake home in Amery, WI with plans to retire there.

Stacey York has worked with children and families for over 40 years. She taught Child Development and Family Studies at Rochester Community and Technical College for the past 14 years. Before that, she held the same position at Minneapolis Community and Technical College.  She actively incorporated diversity training and multicultural perspectives from people of color in all her courses.

For the past 5 years, she also explored integrating technology into adult learning. She taught online and guided E-LECT (E-learning for early childhood teachers), a collaborative effort of child development departments at thirteen Minnesota community and technical colleges. Stacey worked in childcare and early childhood education as a teacher, parent educator and center director.

Some of her accomplishments included working alongside Louise Derman-Sparks in the culturally relevant Anti-bias Leadership Project. Stacey wrote articles for Early Childhood Today and Children’s Television Workshop now called Sesame Workshop. She served as a curriculum consultant for the  public television series ”The Puzzle Place”. She was a nationally recognized expert in the area of early childhood multicultural education and the impact of racism on child development. Stacey also authored and published books including Roots and Wings, Affirming Culture in Early Childhood Settings, Big As Life Vol. I and 2 and The Everyday Inclusive Curriculum.

She had many passions that included gardening, flower arranging, spinning angora wool from her sheep into yarn, baking many wonderful treats, photography, and spending time on any body of water that she could. She had a smile that could light up a room and a laugh that was so infectious it was hard not to laugh with her. She was a great listener and someone you could talk to about anything. She loved watching sports with her family and making food to go along with the spectating.

Stacey and her husband Dennis adopted 4 children who had experienced trauma and had special needs. Together they lived on a small farm where they had gardens, horses, sheep, goats, chickens and turkeys. Stacey was an active supporter of Equine Assisted Therapy, 4-H and the Fiber Wool Festival. She loved her life, and shared her passion for strengthening families.

Stacey is survived by her husband Dennis Hoffman 64, her children:  Justin Hoffman 42 (Jenny) of Red Wing, MN; Derek Hoffman 39 (Megan) of Medford, MN; Joseph Hoffman 27, Vincent Hoffman 25 of Preston, MN; Mackenzie 19 and Tyler Hoffman 16 of Spring Valley, MN, and her grandchildren; Elliot 12, Haley 6, Adelyn 5, and Ella 3 as well as her beloved dogs Hank and Callie. She was preceded in death by her father and mother.