Sharon Miller Hoffmann

God has called one of his angels back to heaven. Sharon Miller Hoffmann, 75, of Williamsport, died Sunday, February 26, 2017 at UPMC Susquehanna Hospital, Williamsport.

Sharon lived life with great passion, a sense of wonder and excitement. Her smile would light up your day and her unending optimism was irresistible. The loss of Sharon’s “being there” will have a profound impact on all who met and knew her.

Born December 9, 1941 in South Williamsport, she was a daughter of the late Frederick Jr. and Thelma (Webb) Miller. On May 9, 1981, she and her husband, William R. Hoffmann, were married by the Rev. Francis Bell, former minister of St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, Williamsport.  Together they celebrated 35 years of marriage.

Sharon was a 1959 graduate of South Williamsport High School and a 1963 graduate of Lock Haven University where she earned a BS degree in chemistry, physics and mathematics. Sharon had a very diverse professional background. She taught science and mathematics in grades 7 – 12 in the Williamsport and South Williamsport school districts and at Bishop Neumann. She served as adjunct faculty at Williamsport Area Community College and Pennsylvania College of Technology for quality assurance, physics, mathematics, statistical process control and environmental science.

Sharon had almost 30 years of industrial work experience having worked as a research and development engineer at the former Schnadig Corporation, Montoursville; as an industrial engineer, regional manager quality improvement, and process engineering manager at the former GTE Sylvania plant, Montoursville; and as a total quality manager at the former Litton Industries plant, Loyalsock Township. Then, for more than 18 years, she worked as the process improvement engineer at Innovative Manufacturing Center, Williamsport, which is now part of the Pennsylvania College of Technology. Sharon impacted manufacturers by sharing her knowledge in supervisory training, performance management, team skills, employee motivation, train-the-trainer, statistical process control, lean thinking and six sigma champion and green belt training. She had many certifications including ASQ Certified Quality Auditor, ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence, Six Sigma Black Belt, MEP Certified Lean 101 and MEP Certified Value Stream Mapping. Sharon was “very analytical, well organized, team oriented and a systems thinker.”

Sharon grew up as a member of Messiah Lutheran Church, South Williamsport, and since the late 1970’s a member of St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, Williamsport, where she was a current member of the congregational council, a previous long term member of the mutual ministry committee, a participant of the women’s book club and a participant of the women’s breakfast and bible group.

Always volunteering for many community organizations, Sharon helped organize and lead the annual Fun, Fashion & Frolic fund raiser for Sun Home Health and Hospice. She served as a docent together with her husband at the Preservation Williamsport, Rowley House Museum. Sharon was recently named treasurer of the Loyalsock Garden Club and volunteered weekly at the American Cancer Society. Sharon was an avid supporter of Girl Scouting; as a lifetime member of GSHPA (Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania) and with her daughter and granddaughter at summer camps in Ohio. During the late 1970’s, she also enjoyed singing and playing guitar with the Joy Seekers, a folk and ecumenical women’s group.

Surviving in addition to her husband are one daughter, Christine Rentzsch and her husband, Arthur, of Columbus, OH; one son, Matthew Schultz, of South Williamsport; one stepdaughter, Heidi Hoffmann, of San Carlos, CA; one stepson, William Hoffmann and his wife, Csilla, of Culver City, CA; and five grandchildren, Taylor, Ethan and Hannah Schultz and Quinlan and Zoey Rentzsch.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by one sister, Carole Barrett.

The family is planning a memorial service to be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 1, at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 1400 Market Street, Williamsport. Friends will be received from 3 to 4 p.m. prior to the service and following the service in Bell Hall where a meal will be served.

The family will provide the flowers and suggests memorial contributions in Sharon's memory be made to St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1400 Market St., Williamsport, PA 17701, or the American Cancer Society, Lycoming Unit, 1948 E. Third St., Williamsport, PA 17701, or  SUN Home Health and Hospice, P. O. Box 232, Northumberland, PA 17857 or Preservation Williamsport, 960 W. Third St., Williamsport, PA 17701.

The family is being assisted by Grenoble's, 121 S. Main St., Muncy.

 Service Information