Blue Wahoos Mourn Passing Of Beloved Usher Tom Hoffman 

Tom Hoffman enjoyed people with same zest he carried each night as a beloved usher at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The friendly face. The extended greeting. The tall tales and quick quips. The caramel candy he provided to newcomers, to children, to anyone he met knowing it would elicit smiles.

Hoffman exemplified the kind fan experience the Blue Wahoos have made as mission statement. He was the welcome presence on the concourse, where he worked behind home plate in Sections 101-102.

“When you walked away from Tom Hoffman, you felt better than before,” said Blue Wahoos owner Quint Studer.

These are now memories shared in wake of Hoffman’s recent passing. He was 73. A long-time member of Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church.

His life, which included being a multiple sport athlete in high school at Bloomsburg, Pa, followed by U.S. Naval Academy graduate (1971) and his fulfilled dream to serve as Naval officer, were recently cerebrated at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

‘’Sometimes you have to accept things, but it doesn’t mean you like things,” said Studer in addressing a gathering of hundreds on a clear, blue-sky Sunday, to celebrate Hoffman’s life. “That is sort of where I’m at.

“And I bet some of you are at that same point today. I don’t know if I can ever look over there and not think of Tom Hoffman.”

Hoffman is survived by his wife, Terry. They were married 33 years ago. He also has three children, a sister and five grandchildren. His brother-in-law, Jonathan Secreest, a member of the U.S. Army, officiated the service at the stadium. His father-in-law, Tommy Young, was among the speakers.

Hoffman’s passing leaves a sad void when the Blue Wahoos begin their 2022 season on April 8. Hoffman is among several long-time ushers, or season-ticket holders, who have passed away in the past two years.

“Tom always had this approachability about him,” said Donna Kirby, the Blue Wahoos vice president of operations, who has known Hoffman since she took over stadium operations in 2013. “He was outgoing to every single fan, whether they were returning fans or new to the stadium. And then he would remember people when they came back and I think that truly touched people’s hearts.

“He had that impact on people,” Kirby said. “He was always mentioned on fan surveys. Always doing the right thing. Always going that extra mile. And it’s going to leave a big hole in our team, not having Tom here. He was a staple.”

Hoffman joined the Blue Wahoos in their inaugural 2011 season and worked the games ever since. He also was part of the Pensacola Pelicans’ experience during the former Independent League team’s existence.

“I was thinking the other day, do you that Tom Hoffman has attended more Blue Wahoos games than I have?” Studer said. “He really never missed a game.”

Prior to that, Hoffman was instrumental as part of a fan focus group that brought professional hockey to Pensacola in 1996. He helped lead the charge for formation of the Pensacola Ice Pilots as a former ECHL franchise and worked the games as usher at the Pensacola Bay Center.

When the Ice Pilots returned on bus trips in those days, Hoffman would be among the people greeting the team at 2 a.m. or later to welcome the players back home.

He also assisted in the transition from the Ice Pilots to the Pensacola Ice Flyers as a Southern Professional Hockey League franchise. The Ice Flyers honored his legacy at a recent game.

“I attended a bridal event at the Bay Center recently and someone came up to me right away and said, ‘Did you know that was Tom Hoffman’s post (section in the arena)?’ That’s the impact he had.”

Studer and Hoffman instantly bonded as two men who overcame alcoholism. They attended the same Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

“What I knew was he was highly sensitive and I think that comes with the disease a little bit,” said Studer, during his address at Hoffman’s service at Blue Wahoos Stadium. “You are highly sensitive. That means you feel deeply and one of things Tom did was feel loved tremendously.

“Tom wanted people to feel comfortable. He wanted to make people feel love, to feel accepted.”

Kirby knows whoever replaces Hoffman in that particular section of the stadium will need a connection to fans. Someone with the right personality and right fit.

“Some of the longer serving ushers, they become almost part of the stadium,” she said. “You just expect to see them there, just like you expect to see the scoreboard. But Tom won’t be there this year. We have to find the right person to take over.”