Josenilda “Joy” Araujo Hoffman

Josenilda “Joy” Araujo Hoffman, 83, passed away on October 31, 2025, in her home in Richfield, Minnesota. A devoted mother, grandmother, and friend, she will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Josenilda was born on July 31, 1942, in Timbaúba in the state of Pernambuco in Brazil to Adélia Correia de Araújo, and was later adopted by Carmélia de Albuquerque Regis and Francisco Regis Sobrinho. She graduated from the Normal School of Santa Maria in Timbaúba. She obtained an associate degree in education and proceeded to teach in public schools throughout Brazil. Josenilda also pursued a degree in psychology at the Regional University of the Northwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul in the city of Ijuí.

Always a bold and adventurous spirit, Josenilda lived in France and Zambia, as well as in various cities across Brazil and the United States before settling in Indianapolis, Indiana—her home for more than 40 years. Josenilda was a talented seamstress and upon arriving in the United States, built a successful tailoring business. Later, drawing on her passion for teaching, she founded a home daycare, caring for countless children who kept in touch with her well into adulthood.

Josenilda’s friends and acquaintances in the United States knew her by the nickname of “Joy.” That nickname was entirely fitting. Josenilda radiated warmth, tenderness, and strength. She also embodied a keen sense of justice and imbued her children with it. Josenilda had a profound sense of empathy for those who experience pain and suffering. In her birth city of Timbaúba, she was known for freeing birds from cages in her youth. She did not hesitate to put those closest to her ahead of herself.

Josenilda was a lover of nature and gardening. Wherever she lived, she cultivated a vibrant patch of flowers, herbs, and vegetables, and she was always eager to share its abundance with friends and neighbors.

The greatest joy of her life, however, was her family. Time spent with her two children and her three cherished grandchildren brought her the greatest moments of happiness. She loved to sit down for long meals made by her family members. In her later years, Josenilda moved to Minnesota to be near her daughter and family. Always the traveler, she experienced many memorable family vacations with her son and his family. She especially loved spending one week out of the year with her son, daughter, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren on the beaches and boardwalk of Ocean City, New Jersey. She would wake up early to have her coffee and watch the sun rise on the beach.

She is survived by her son, Marcelo Hoffman, and daughter-in-law, Dorothy Hoffman, of Jersey City, New Jersey; her daughter, Nelia Hoffman of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and her beloved grandchildren, Caetano, Ada, and Ines. Her family members and friends will bear the profound pain of her absence, but they will also draw inspiration from her approach to the world and her way of living. She never got distracted by the striving for wealth or social status. She always kept herself focused on what mattered most to her—namely, her family and friends.

A celebration of Josenilda’s life will be held in the spring, her favorite time of year. Details will be shared with family and friends at a later date.