this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2023
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Dorothy Hoffner, a 104-year-old Chicago woman whose recent skydive could see her certified by Guinness World Records as the oldest person to ever jump from a plane, has died.

Hoffner’s close friend, Joe Conant, said she was found dead Monday morning by staff at the Brookdale Lake View senior living community. Conant said Hoffner apparently died in her sleep on Sunday night.

Conant, who is a nurse, said he met Hoffner — whom he called Grandma at her request — several years ago while he was working as a caregiver for another resident at the senior living center. He said she had amazing energy and remained mentally sharp.

“She was indefatigable. She just kept going,” he said Tuesday. “She was not someone who would take naps in the afternoon, or not show up for any function, dinner or anything else. She was always there, fully present. She kept going, always.”

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[–] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 166 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It sounds like Dorothy lived life on her terms, right to the end.

Respect.

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 51 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Something in her was like "gotta make it to 100..."

Then she did and must've been thinking "well is that it? I am awfully tired all the time. Guess I am getting weaker. Oh!! I never skydived!! Okay gotta skydive, then we're good to go 😊"

Skydives

Naps forever

[–] vortexsurfer@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sorry, but it appears you are quite wrong.

From the article:

“She was indefatigable. She just kept going,” he said Tuesday. “She was not someone who would take naps in the afternoon, or not show up for any function, dinner or anything else. She was always there, fully present. She kept going, always.”

[–] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 11 points 1 year ago

I think they meant she was saving up all of her naps for that real big one we all get at the end.

[–] StorminNorman@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

She'd skydived as a senior citizen many times before her latest jump, that one was just to go for the record.

[–] OrteilGenou@lemmy.world 34 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] ivanafterall@kbin.social 13 points 1 year ago

Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, now Dorothy. We'll never get to see what else they might have done had they not been snatched from us early by that cruel bitch fate.

[–] Chariotwheel@kbin.social 118 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Good, going out on a high note is great.

Plus the benefit that her actual death was in her sleep.

My grandma wasn't skydiving, but she also died in her sleep, which was great. Was well the days before, then went to bed and never woke up. Much prefered to how grandpa slowly died of cancer while also having Alzheimers. That wasn't fun for anyone. Never waking up is certainly one of the best deaths one can have.

[–] agent_flounder@lemmy.one 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's how my grandmother went out. Definitely preferable to many other ways. :( Sorry you had to go through that. Dementia of any kind is horrible.

[–] Chariotwheel@kbin.social 12 points 1 year ago

I didn't have to go through it directly. I was a child and my grandma didn't let me see my grandfather in his past months. It apparently was really bad and she wanted me to keep the memory of how he was when he was well. Heck, while the older family members got to visit, she basically took over the care on her own. She shouldered this burden of him losing himself so nobody else had to and continued on another decade afterwards. She was quite the strong woman.

[–] NightAuthor@lemmy.world 73 points 1 year ago (14 children)

No one’s going to say anything about “indefatigable”? Am I the only illiterate here that’s never heard of this word?

[–] agent_flounder@lemmy.one 46 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's a really uncommon word. But hey, you get to be one of today's lucky 10,000.

[–] tdawg@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Okay so it's actually pronounceable. According to google it goes like: in-dee-fa-tu-ga-bull

[–] agent_flounder@lemmy.one 5 points 1 year ago

Well.... I guess I've never heard it spoken before lol

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[–] graymess@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I only know it thanks to the Camelot song from Holy Grail.

[–] Malfeasant@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In war we're tough and able

Quite indefatigable

Between our quests we sequin vests and impersonate Clark Gable

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[–] hactar42@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

I would say you are more literate because it's in the last sentence, most people never read that far.

[–] dogslayeggs@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's not as common now as it used to be, and even back then it wasn't really common, but it's kind of like the word "inauspicious." I had never heard anyone use the word before, but then I went to India and every English speaking Indian seemed to use the word regularly. It was weird.

But yeah, indefatigable is a word I've heard before, both spoken in older movies and in older books.

[–] turmacar@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'd put money on the nurse being a roleplayer / watcher. It's a character attribute you can have in DnD 5e and I believe pops up in a few other tabletop games, so like, golems/robots "don't get tired."

Also totally possible he just likes older media of course.

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[–] Sanity_in_Moderation@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In war we're tough and able, Quite indefatigable. Between our quests we sequin vests and impersonate Clark Gable.

[–] auskast@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

I. Have. To. Push. The. Pram a loooooot.

[–] sock@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

my thought process was IN (no) and FATIGUE (tired) per context clues it seems like someone who doesnt get tired

idk the word tho

[–] tb_@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

That is roughly what it means, yeah.

[–] Stephen304@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

I came here to see if anybody else had that as a wordly wise word in high school

[–] meliorit@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 1 year ago

LOVELESS Yes, Mr. West, I'm sure a well- endowed blackamoor like yourself must find it absolutely impossible... that a freak like me could fully enjoy the pleasure of a woman. But having witnessed my use of mechinology so far... wouldn't you think I could provide myself with something for the lower half of my body that was hard-pumping and indefatigably steely?

[–] paleasswhiteguy@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's a perfectly cromulent word!

[–] NightAuthor@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Indubitably

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[–] Zahtu@feddit.de 50 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Kinda sad, but at the same time, I wish for this myself when being old. Dieing after having my most ambitious dreams being fulfilled, not looking back about missed opportunities or regrets.

[–] Carvex@lemmy.world 27 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now.

[–] OrteilGenou@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Well, get on with it then

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[–] rtxn@lemmy.world 46 points 1 year ago (2 children)

See this tale to a triumphant conclusion, and with elation in your heart, bid the final curtain fall.

[–] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 18 points 1 year ago

Yep.

Do not go gently into that good night.

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

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[–] wildcardology@lemmy.world 37 points 1 year ago (3 children)

She was the oldest person to skydive, there's proof that she was the oldest person to skydive. What's keeping them from giving her the record? Does it matter that she died? The record was already set.

[–] KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 1 year ago

I’d assume her age and stuff need to be confirmed? Tho if it with Guinness it doesn’t really matter much, their entire record system is a sham.

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Would there be a concern that the elderly might be pushed into potentially hazardous (due to their age/health) activities in attempts to make records? Guinness already refuses records that are dangerous. I could easily see the YouTube generation trying to talk grandma into some record attempts that wind up with her stroking out or breaking a hip. If I were Guinness I’d have some concerns about how to present stuff like this.

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[–] xc2215x@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

Glad she ended it on a good note.

[–] jcit878@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

She can't defend her record, go for it centurians!

[–] bradorsomething@ttrpg.network 4 points 1 year ago

I wonder what’s the world record for dying after you set a world record.

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