On Saturday, May 4, 2024, Marylin Louise Whisler-Hoffman passed away in a hospice house in Columbia, MO, after a brief yet severe illness. A public memorial service is being organized, with details to be announced shortly. Additionally, a private graveside ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, at Maple Grove Cemetery.
Mrs. Whisler-Hoffman was a beloved educator. During her 32-year tenure with the Trenton R-IX School District, she impacted over 1,000 students in her kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. She taught more than academics; she imparted lessons on being good neighbors and citizens, integrating character skills long before they became standard curriculum components. Her expertise led to an invitation to visit China to experience elementary education firsthand.
Her teaching extended beyond Trenton, including stints in Rochester, MN, and Bath, England. At Trenton Junior College (now North Central Missouri College), she taught General Education Diploma (GED) courses and Children’s Literature to aspiring teachers. Among the vital lessons she shared were the importance of wit and a sense of humor.
Mrs. Whisler-Hoffman skillfully incorporated insights from her continuing education into her teaching methods. She excelled at writing grants, securing substantial funding for projects like S.M. Rissler’s outdoor classroom and enhanced classroom libraries, earning a state award for her efforts.
She lived a life exemplified by positive actions in thought, word, and deed, regularly sending congratulatory notes to former students upon their high school graduations. Her passion for nature inspired her students and children to explore and appreciate the world’s adventures.
Mrs. Whisler-Hoffman was actively involved with the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, PEO Chapter MA in Columbia, Delta Kappa Gamma, the Missouri United Methodist Church, and other church and civic groups.
She was preceded in death by her husbands Bryce B. Miller, Russell L. Whisler, and Charles D. Hoffman. She is survived by her children, Michelle Grisamore (Steve) of Galt, MO, Linda Teasley of Columbia, MO, Phillip Miller of Kansas City, MO, and Mary Patricia Engelking (Craig Copland) of Vernon, British Columbia, Canada; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
The family invites Mrs. Whisler-Hoffman’s former students to celebrate her life by sending a kindergarten photo and a current photo showing your family or profession to Marylin Whisler-Hoffman, 501 N Brookline Dr, Columbia, MO 65203. This gesture will honor her and other influential educators.
Donations can be sent to Slater-Neal Funeral Home, 813 Custer St, Trenton, MO 64683. Honorarium recipients include Caring Hearts and Hands Hospice House, 1307 W Broadway, Columbia, MO 65203, and PEO Chapter MA, c/o Lenora Miller, 1201 War Admiral Dr, Columbia, MO 65202, and S.M. Rissler Elementary School, 801 W 4th Terr, Trenton, MO 64683.
