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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
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LF schools mourn two Social studies teacher Hochsprung, ex-school board member Dobmeier both die unexpectedly this week Staff Writer Two well-known Little Falls residents, who were passionate for students and education, unexpectedly died this week.
Lee Hochsprung, a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Little Falls Community Middle School, died Monday at home. Clarence Dobmeier, a former Little Falls School Board member, died on Tuesday.
Hochsprung was 53. Dobmeier was 52.
Mary Jo Morgan, Little Falls Schools chief operations officer, said Hochsprung started working with the Little Falls School District in 1975. She said this was his first and only teaching job. Over the past three decades, he served as a reading, language arts, special education or social studies teacher.
Hochsprung was involved in seventh-grade baseball and the high school and middle school football and wrestling programs. He was the chair of the social studies department and was involved in driver's education programs. And he coached baseball during the summer for Little Falls Schools Community Services.
He sang in the Our Lady of Lourdes Church choir in Little Falls and he was involved in productions through The Hole in the Day theater.
Morgan said Hochsprung was supposed to attend a middle school faculty meeting at 7:30 a.m. Monday and he never showed up, which was not like him. Morgan said they called Hochsprung's home and learned he had died. Morgan said according to the family he was exercising at home in the morning when he died unexpectedly.
"We don't know what happened," said Morgan. "We're all going to miss him."
Morgan said she recalls when Hochsprung was reassigned to teach special education because of budget cuts.
"He took that assignment without one complaint," said Morgan. "And he did an extraordinary job. He never complained and I don't think anyone has seen him upset. He did everything he could for students."
Mike Olson, Little Falls athletic director, said Hochsprung was his best friend. Olson said the first person he met when he came to the district in 1989 was Hochsprung. Olson said he and Hochsprung coached high school wrestling and football years ago.
"He was the nicest person in the world," said Olson. "He would do anything for anyone. When Lee was around you never had a bad time. He made everyone smile.
"We're going to miss him a lot and everything he did for the kids."
Robyn Gray of Little Falls directed Hochsprung in many productions through The Hole in the Day theater.
Gray said, "This is a major loss to the community. Lee had a great sense of fun. He was one of our Little Miss Little Falls candidates for a fund-raiser we did. He did anything he could to help out people and to do it for a good cause ... He was such a character."
Gray and another Little Falls resident, Vicki Spofford, both said their children had Hochsprung as a teacher and he had a positive influence on them.
Gray said, "His death will be tough for his family. He was a great father."
Hochsprung leaves behind his wife, Julie, and their four children, Laura and Paul, both adults, Phillip, who is a high school junior, and Katie, who is a freshman.
Spofford played in the church choir with Hochsprung and his family. Hochsprung also taught religious classes at the church.
Late start Thursday
LITTLE FALLS - The Little Falls School District will delay school Thursday until noon so students can attend the funeral for Lee Hochsprung, a middle school teacher.
Hochsprung, 53, died Monday.
Students who regularly ride the bus to school will be picked up four hours later than their regular time Thursday morning. Lunch will be served at the school.
The early release day scheduled for Wednesday will not occur.
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Spofford said Hochsprung was a kind, caring man who had a great sense of humor. She said at times he was the only bass who sang in the choir. She said he would sing no matter what.
Little Falls School Board chair Katie Harms said, "There is not one person who did not love Lee. He was loved by all the students and the staff. He was a guy who never said no. He worked passionately and his family was his pride and joy."
Harms, who hosted many grieving students at her home Tuesday, said it's been tough to deal with the loss of two well-respected people in the school and community.
Harms said Dobmeier, who was a school board member from 2000-04, worked tirelessly to pass a referendum in 2004. She said he was passionate about education and helping students.
Morgan said Dobmeier went into cardiac arrest at St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls. Morgan said that Dobmeier suffered previous heart attacks.
Morgan said Dobmeier was instrumental in getting the 2004 referendum passed. She said he sat on the Referendum Oversight Committee and he helped the district get out of statutory operating debt.
School board member Greg Zylka said, "Clarence has always been my buddy. He had the biggest heart for the kids in this school district. He was so knowledgeable about education ... He knew so much.
"I'm proud to call him my friend. I love him dearly and his kids. I feel so much pain, but it is nothing compared to the pain the family is going through."
Dobmeier leaves behind his wife, Nancy, and their two children Brett, a 2003 Little Falls Community High School graduate, and Brittany, who is a high school junior.
Zylka, Dobmeier and Bob Keeton were all elected school board members at the same time. Zylka said they all became good friends. He said they would call themselves the "Three Musketeers."
Zylka said the middle school is in shock with the loss of Hochsprung.
"It is just unbelievable," Zylka said of the two losses.
Tom Scherling, Century 21 of Little Falls, shared an office building with Dobmeier. Dobmeier was an insurance agent with State Farm Insurance.
Scherling said Dobmeier was his best friend.
"He was a heck of a guy," said Scherling. "He had so much compassion for education and for his family and he had a passion for fun."
Scherling said he remembers throwing a surprise 50th birthday party for Dobmeier. He said it was a difficult task to pull a surprise on Dobmeier, but it worked. He said Dobmeier always said to him that he would get him back.
"He's going to leave a huge hole in our community," said Scherling. "He has touched so many lives."
Interim Superintendent Bruce Anderson said the district and the community are grieving the loss of these two special people.
Funeral services for Hochsprung will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Little Falls.
Services for Dobmeier are pending.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER can be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.
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