Notes:

Giles Marvin Hofmeyer, 86, died December 9 at his home in Niagara Falls.
Giles grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where much of his family still lives.
He volunteered for the draft and discovered radio repair work while serving in the Army. This led to a job as an electronics tech after his service, and then to college at Xavier University where he got his Bachelor's degree in engineering. Giles went on to get a Master's degree in physics from Purdue University, after which he worked at AC Spark Plug on their gyroscope research and development. Bell Aerospace recruited him to Niagara Falls for a new job and a new adventure. Giles worked for Bell for the rest of his career through its sale to Lockheed Martin.
Giles spent much of his career working on a gravity gradiometer which would detect minuscule variations in the gravity field as it traveled with an airplane or submarine. Besides the Bell program, MIT and Hughes Aircraft were also working on a gravity gradiometer, but Giles's tiny group of four scientists beat out these giants of industry. Theirs is the only existing gradiometer making gradient measurements throughout the world, aiding in the search for oil, metals, diamonds and hidden tunnels. In 2014, Giles was inducted into the Niagara Frontier Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame along with the rest of his Bell group.
Giles married Emma Jean Gruver in 1967. They married at Sacred Heart in Niagara Falls and honeymooned in the Adirondacks. Giles and Emma were married for 53 years and shared many adventures fishing, camping, dancing, traveling, and enjoying the company of their family.
Giles is survived by his wife, Emma J. Hofmeyer; their children, Kathleen (Robert) Woughter, Jennifer (Robert) Gula, Cynthia (Paul) Devlin, Daniel (Noelle) Hofmeyer, Deborah (James) Stypa and Philip (Jessica) Hofmeyer; six granddaughters, Alexis, Adrienne, Alison, Amanda, Aven, Ayla; eight grandsons, Zachary, Austin, Daniel, Christian, Brady, William, Aidan, Jason; his brother, Max; his sister, Angela; and many nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Philip and Adrienne Hofmeyer; and his sister, Phyllis (Jack) VanBenschoten.
The family will have a private Celebration of Life at a later date. Giles donated his body to the University of Buffalo Anatomical Division.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Niagara Hospice or Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Giles married GRUVER, Emma Jean in 1967 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: WOUGHTER, Robert. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: GULA, Robert. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: DEVLIN, Paul. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Noelle. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: STYPA, James. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Jessica. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]