By Lindajoy Fenley, Music Committee chair

Western Sonoma County knew many incarnations of Joe Hoffmann during the more than 40 years he made his home in the Sebastopol-Occidental area before passing away on the last day of 2020. Members of the Sebastopol Center for the Arts (SCA) Music Committee knew him as a sound and lighting engineer and videographer. He was that and much more. Hoffmann, 76, was a well-known body worker and ceramicist. He also operated his own recording studio, recording radio plays as well as music.

He was a person who followed his dreams and more than once transformed a hobby into a serious occupation, according to his wife, Sally Schaeffer. 

At our first meeting this year, the Music Committee remembered Joe’s legacy and floated the idea of an event honoring him once the pandemic recedes and we are allowed to host live music events again. Several of us noted it took time to get to know Joe. Quiet and respectful, he was more of a listener than a talker. That’s not to say he never spoke; he contributed to a discussion when he had something to say. He was beautifully humble. 

In addition to volunteering on the music committee, Joe provided professional services to the SCA for over six years. His relationship with the center began even earlier when various people hired him for events at the center’s Depot Street location. Eventually, he became indispensable to the center, taking care of the building, fixing things, providing sound engineering services and doing whatever else was needed. Perhaps Anthony Wilson, SebArts facility and events manager and music committee liaison, knew him better than other committee members. Joe was already on board when Anthony was hired in mid 2017. “He always wanted to make sure that a project or task got done completely and fully,” Anthony said. “Joe didn’t settle for doing things patchwork, taking a Band-Aid approach, or cutting corners.”

Helen Baum, music committee member, called Joe “a caring, generous, [individual and] skilled professional.” She also reminded us he was involved with the Occidental Center for the Arts as well as the SebArts.

Joe’s work proved crucial when the COVID pandemic forced us to cancel concerts already planned last spring. However, instead of cancelling our third annual outdoor Patio Series, Joe’s skills and his dedication to making music events happen allowed us to be able to adapt to pandemic restrictions. He was key in turning the Patio Series into a virtual event and generously filmed, edited and produced four concerts that still can be heard via the SebArts website. This was a completely volunteer effort as Joe turned down even a token payment the committee offered.

“He almost single-handedly re-invented what a SebArts production would be post COVID,” said committee member Arthur George. “As the Music Committee sought to regain its footing, Joe pointed the way, quietly, but with dedication.”

Under the county quarantine regulations, only music committee members could enjoy the patio concerts in person this year. Pat Schoch, our veteran committee member who normally takes tickets at our concerts, was among those who enjoyed the low-key events and even brought a few family members to one session. She said that as she watched Joe recording the Patio Series she “realized what a low-key and talented guy he was… I was in awe of how he could handle all that technical stuff that intimidated me.”

Joe had moved to San Francisco from Connecticut about a year after graduating from college, hoping to attend film school at San Francisco State. That didn’t work out and later, after studying ceramics, he and his first wife purchased and operated a pottery studio in San Francisco. They moved to rural Sonoma County in the 1970s. He later formed a family with Sally Schaeffer, a kindred spirit he met in massage school.  

Sally and their son Evan Hoffmann hope to have a celebration of Joe’s life gathering – “a party, picnic or social gathering” – once such events are possible. Meanwhile, friends can honor him by visiting, and posting on, his Facebook page.