The close-knit community of Brule is mourning the loss of one of its own. Bruce Hofstedt, 55, of Brule died Friday after his kayak overturned in Lake Superior near Cornucopia.
Hofstedt, born and raised in Brule, was a Vietnam veteran with a zest for life.
"Always a smile on his face,'' said neighbor Debbie Androsky of Brule. He "loved the outdoors."
His wife, Pennee, said her husband had an adventurous spirit. Together, they traveled to 13 countries. Bruce Hofstedt climbed mountains and boated down the Amazon River. He hadn't done much kayaking, but wanted to learn.
Nine months ago, Hofstedt was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He wanted to continue his adventures while he was still feeling well, his wife said.
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His friend Theodore Yox invited him to go kayaking at Meyers Beach near Cornucopia. Pennee says her husband was safety conscious. The two men had checked weather reports before they launched, and it appeared it was going to be a clear and calm day. Both men wore their life jackets.
According to authorities, Bruce's kayak tipped over, but he wasn't able to climb back into it. Then Yox's kayak capsized. The U.S. Coast Guard found Hofstedt floating in the water. Yox was found unconscious lying on nearby rocks.
Hofstedt was rushed to a Duluth hospital, where he died of hypothermia. Yox was treated for hypothermia and released.
The incident has left people who live along the South Shore stunned.
"The people that are here are always shocked to hear these things. They're concerned it may continue to happen in the future," said resident David Tillmans. "I think that's the main concern, that people are more aware of the lake and weather conditions."
Tillmans runs the Siskiwit Bay Marina in Cornucopia. He says he's seen his share of loss on Lake Superior.
Three years ago, a 23-year old man from St. Germaine, Wis., died of hypothermia after his kayak capsized in the sea caves near Cornucopia.
Pennee Hofsted says she wants people to remember that Lake Superior can change at any moment and people should be extra cautious when they go out onto the beautiful yet dangerous body of water. She also wants people to remember her husband as a good man, who loved his family, friends and neighbors.
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Funeral services will be at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Cremation Society of Minnesota.
