Gloria (Spillers) Hoffmann is genuinely humbled and honored to receive the 2026 Service of Humanity Award at the 2026 All-Alumni Scarlet Celebration held on June 6 (link to ticket sales below). The award is deeply personal, and Gloria gives tribute to her family, teachers, friends, and a community that shaped her life of public service.
Gloria was born in Minneapolis, MN, in 1928, and moved to Des Moines as a child. She attended Wallace Elementary, Amos Hiatt Junior High, and Des Moines East High School (EHS) graduating in 1946.
EHS offered a solid learning environment and a culture where differences in race, socioeconomic status, learning styles, and backgrounds were embraced. Gloria made friends easily and was involved in vocal music, tennis, and wrote for the school newspaper which led to her majoring in radio journalism at Drake University.
Gloria began her professional career at Bankers Life (now Principal Financial Group), where she worked in both the Actuarial and Personnel departments. There, she met her husband, Lyle Hoffmann. Married in 1955, they built a family that now includes two children, David and Anne, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
An ordained elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Gloria served on multiple church and Presbytery committees and as a Christian education leader.
At 97, Gloria highlights three accomplishments:
East High Alumni
In the 1980s, Gloria got involved in the EHS Alumni Association, serving as president from 1986-1987, and thus became the first president of the newly formed Alumni Foundation. She also led the Alumni Scholarship Committee for several years. In 1998, Gloria was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame.
Des Moines School Board
Gloria served four terms on the Des Moines School Board from 1983-1995, and twice as board president. In 1990, she helped start the Success Program as an initiative which addressed students’ social and emotional needs to improve outcomes. The Success Program has been going strong for more than 35 years and has been a model for many schools across the country.
Stormwater Infrastructure Advisory Committee
In 2018, a flood damaged facilities, appliances and personal items for Gloria and many others in Des Moines including decades of records from her civic and volunteer work. Gloria became the first chair of a newly formed Stormwater Infrastructure Advisory Committee for the city. A multimillion-dollar masterplan was developed to address major structural needs in 15 watersheds, eight have been completed and the rest are in process. In 2026, Gloria remains an active member on the committee.
Gloria believes public education is a cornerstone of democracy and a transformative force in her own life. Her legacy is not defined by a single honor, but by decades of quiet, steadfast service that have strengthened and uplifted those in the community she serves as Gloria embodies the Service of Humanity.
To purchase tickets to the 2026 All-Alumni Scarlet Celebration, go HERE!
Leave a Reply