Larry Charles Hoffman, 81

Larry Charles Hoffman was born July 13, 1945, in Lewistown, Montana, to Ruth Kelly Hoffman, whose grandparents came up the Missouri to Montana in 1880, and Austin Hoffman. His parents divorced in 1947, and he was raised by his mother, who bought a ranch in Pyramid Gulch of the Judith Mountains when he was about 5.

Afflicted with hay fever after moving to the ranch, he visited a family-friend's small mine just before his eighth birthday and found there was no pollen underground. From there he became acquainted with a whole group of old miners, mechanics, blacksmiths, and other craftsmen who were kind enough to put up with a spoiled and headstrong kid. They provided him with the positive male influence he lacked and taught him many skills and lessons that shaped his life.

He started Blue Range Mining Co. in 1960 to do some mining work for one of his old mentors. From the time he fell in love with mining, he aimed to attend the Montana School of Mines, which he did in 1964, graduating in 1969 with only average grades that suffered because there were so many other things more interesting than studying. He worked as a miner for the Anaconda Company on weekends and on fill-in shifts for contract miners who didn't want to lose money by missing a shift. This did not help his grades.

In 1968, he leased and reopened the Spotted Horse mine, which had last been operated by one of his mentors, Frank Bryant, who filled his head with many stories about the high-grade gold ore. He sold the lease to a Denver oil company and went on to become a self-employed mining contractor, beginning with reopening shafts at Kendall, Montana.

He moved to Butte in 1973 and became involved with the World Museum of Mining (WMM), the Montana Tech Alumni Association, and other activities, while continuing consulting and contract work. From 1979 to 1983, he was in charge of work at the Little Squaw mine in Alaska, the farthest-north underground mine in the U.S. at the time. In 1983, he started Blue Range Engineering to do assaying and metallurgical testing, as well as consulting, from south of the Equator to north of the Arctic Circle.

He did many volunteer projects over the years, rebuilding the mining exhibits at the WMM, constructing the underground mine tour, and then building the connecting underground mining laboratory for Montana Tech. He was the construction leader who got the Carousel built and the initiator of the group that keeps the flags flying and the Christmas decorations on the mine headframes.

Larry died on Friday, July 31, 2026, doing work he loved.

He is survived by son Kendall Hoffman and daughter Erin Best, grandchildren Sarah and Isaiah Hoffman, as well as nieces and nephews, Laurie, Julie, Tom and Steve Hoffman, and their children. Jacob and Evan Hill are also cherished grandchildren from the son of his loved former wife, Nancy Russo, who also survives. He also leaves behind his dearest friend and partner-in-crime, Raven Hrysenko, who was always there in his final years, providing wonderful support as his armor rusted away.