Donald Arnett Hoeft
Sergeant, U.S. Army
World War II

Donald Arnett Hoeft was born on 17 November 1918 in Fontana, WI. He was the son of Louis Charles and Minnie Caroline (Heiden) Hoeft. He worked as a carpenter.

In April 1941, Donald enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in the Pacific Theatre during WWII, participating in the New Guinea, Leyte and Philippine Liberation Campaigns. His military work was in reconnaissance. He took many photographs while there and brought back with him a captured Japanese flag and some Japanese guns. He reached the rank of Sergeant before leaving the Army.

After the war he again worked as a carpenter and married for the first time. When he and his wife divorced, he retained custody of their children. He began working at the Janesville, WI Fisher Body (General Motors) Plant in 1953, driving from Lake Geneva to Janesville every day.

He re-married and moved the family to Clinton, WI, and then to Janesville in 1966. He continued his hobby of carpentry, building things in the garage and remodeling the family home. His other hobbies were collecting coins, fishing, photography and baseball.

Death and Burial

Donald Arnett Hoeft died of a heart attack on 29 October 1969. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Janesville, Rock County, WI, in Block 609, Lot 3, Grave 7.

He was survived by his wife; children; and his sisters Helen and Dorothy. He was preceded in death by his brother Arnold and his parents.

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