Jul

In Memoriam: Richard “Dick” Hofmeister

Richard Karl Hofmeister

Richard “Dick” Hofmeister, 84, of Stafford, Va., died from a stroke on Sunday, February 9, 2014 in Richmond, Va., Born on June 19, 1929, he was a child actor in Germany and was in the midst of filming his second movie when he German film industry collapsed during WWII. After immigrating to the United States in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.

After the war, he married and settled in Fairfax County, Va., where he pursued his lifelong interest in photography. He joined the National Museum of American History in 1965. Over the course of his career as senior photographer and Chief of Special Assignments for the Smithsonian, he documented historical artifacts and events, hung out of helicopters, trudged through jungles and documented the stories of America’s history and culture. He served as project advisor and principle photographer for the publication, “Reflections on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial,” as well as several other museum publications.

An avid hunter and skier, Mr. Hofmeister traveled extensively after his retirement with Evelyn, his wife of 42 years, who predeceased in 1998. He is survived by his daughter, Diane Hofmeister Barnard and son-in-law, Phillip Barnard, of Richmond, Va.; son Douglas Kluge Hofmeister and daughter-in-law, Anna Hofmeister, of Montclair, Va.; five grandchildren; and a sister, Marianne Raney.

Mr. Hoffmeister was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on July 17, 2014.

Back row, from left, Eric Long, John Jones, Dane Penland, Laurie Minor-Penland, Richard Strauss. Front row, Hugh Talman, Dick Hofmeister, Mary Ellen McCaffrey. (Photo taken at the 2013 Smithsonian Staff Picnic by Eric Long)