A salute to Ed Hoffman

I got this in an email from Deb Conway at JFK Lancer.  Before I knew Ed was ill he was gone.  Thank you Ed for your bravery in coming forward and telling your story.  You enriched the experience of visiting Dallas for those of us who are still trying to find the answers to how and why JFK was killed.  Those lucky enough to spend any time with you at conferences will miss you.

ED HOFFMAN 1937 - 2010

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."

- Matthew 5:3-9

Virgil "Ed" Edward Hoffman

Memorials in honor of Virgil "Ed" Edward Hoffman may be made to:
Hospice of East Texas Foundation
4111 University Blvd.

 Tyler, Texas 75701

Kennedy Assassination Witness

Ed's Location

Ed Hoffman had parked his car and was standing on the roadside when the presidential limousine came  by. From his elevated position, Ed had an unobstructed view of the area to the east, which included the railroad yard, the Texas School Book Depository, and the parking lot on the west side of the depository. He was able to see the entire length of the triple underpass and the people standing on it.

As Publisher Debra Conway states, "Many people were in Dealey Plaza 45 years ago and witnessed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, but only one had the vantage point to clearly see the entire area behind the picket fence on the grassy knoll. That witness is Ed Hoffman. I've known Ed for many years and am convinced what he is able to describe to us is accurate and true."

Hoffman, first written about by investigative reporter and author Jim Marrs, even with his disabilities has proven to be a most convincing witness. Marrs states, "Most impressive to me was Ed's description of a weapon he saw brandished by a Secret Service agent in Kennedy's follow-up car. Ed first said the man held a rifle. But after furthering questions, he used his hands to quite competently describe a weapon with a pistol grip, a forward grip and a handle on top - I knew immediately he meant an M-16 or its civilian model, the AR-15. And, indeed, agent George W. Hickey testified he held up an AR-15 as the stricken President was rushed to Parkland Hospital."

Beyond the Fence Line: The Eyewitness Account of Ed Hoffman and the Murder of President Kennedy," by Casey J. Quinlan & Brian K. Edwards

Brian Edwards and Casey Quinlan, longtime JFK assassination researchers and friends of Ed were determined to get Ed's experiences in print. The authors met Hoffman back in 1989 after reading about his experiences in the Marrs book, "Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy" (1989) and arranged to interview him at his family floral business in Grand Prairie, Texas. In 1999, the Hoffman family donated their entire JFK assassination collection to Quinlan and Edwards, and with those materials and their own years of research, decided to write Ed Hoffman's story. An earlier paper "Eyewitness" (1997) by Hoffman and his pastor Ron Friedrich was published by JFK Lancer and was well received by the research community but limited in scope. Conway then encouraged Quinlan and Edwards in their quest to see the Hoffman story presented in full.

Hoffman has appeared in two television specials, "The Men Who Killed Kennedy" (1988) and "Beyond JFK" (1992), and has been written about in "JFK: Breaking the Silence" (1993) by Bill Sloan and the Marrs' book. Ed, along with his wife Rosie, have attended many JFK assassination conferences for adults and for students. He will be missed.