by Peter Twitchell
When I was a boy of 12 years old I became aware of Chief Edward Hoffman. And whenever I ran into Edward Hoffman outside Northern Commercial Company store or the Alaska Commercial Company store he told me to go get a haircut, smile, and walk off.
Soon, I realized I wasn’t the only one he gave advice to and I witnessed on several occasions the Chief telling other boys to go get a haircut!
When I became a teenager the Chief would ask me if I had a girlfriend. When I answered him in the affirmative, he gave me a big smile and walked off.
I never expected him to give me any other orders but later he did in fact ask me, “Have you gotten married?” When I told Chief Eddie no, I haven’t gotten married, he told me to go find a wife!
After some time not seeing Chief Eddie I bumped into him at one of the stores. Chief Eddie asked me if I had any children. Again, I answered no. And again, the Chief instructed me, hurry up and make babies! And again he gave me a big grin and walked away.
Now that I look back to those days I know that our Chief meant well and I didn’t mind his sound advice one bit. Chief Edward Hoffman was a good man and a good leader who loved his people and the tribes of Southwest Alaska.
Chief Eddie was a friend to all including the youth because those were things very important in our lives to achieve. He was successful in motivating young people to move on in life, to greater and better things.
In 1977 I was elected and did my civic duty on the Bethel City Council alongside people like Chief Edward Hoffman and Johnny Guinn.
Now and then again I would discuss issues important to the Bethel Region with other council members. On occasion I stopped by their homes and I would visit with Chief Eddie. Whenever I knocked on his door he invited me in.
When he saw me enter, in a gruff voice he said, “What the hell you want to know?” I’d tell him, I just come to have a cup of coffee with you. In a calm tone he’d tell me go to the kitchen, Bessie (his wife) is there, and tell her you want a cup of coffee.
I learned about the good deeds that our Chief of everything did while he was here. People that were forgiven for their heating oil debts often shared with me when money became scarce and they couldn’t pay their debt to the Hoffman Oil Service that often their debt was paid off by the kindness and thoughtfulness of Chief Eddie Hoffman.
Thank you Chief Edward Hoffman, you were a leader in our hearts and our thoughts, a great man, a leader of our tribe of Southwest Alaska!
