Prince William Flag flies half-staff until Tuesday

Retired Prince William County Deputy Finance Director Bill Hoffman passed away at his home in Catlett on Thursday.
Hoffman spent 33 years serving the residents of Prince William County.

The county’s flag that bears the Prince William County seal flew at half-staff outside the county’s McCoart Government Center on Prince William Parkway on Friday. It will remain at half-staff until Hoffman’s funeral service until Tuesday night.

Here’s more information contained in an email from county spokesman Jason Grant:

The County Executive has ordered that the County Flag be placed at half-staff until conclusion of the Tuesday, graveside service for Mr. Hoffman.

Since the flag has already been placed at half-staff in memory of John Henry, instead of being raised at the conclusion of his memorial service at the end of the day on Saturday, it will now remain until Tuesday evening, February 17, 2015.

John Henry also served county residents as the director of finance for the jail. 

John Henry, former Director of Finances of the Prince William County/Manassas Adult Detention Center, passed away on Feb. 9.  Bill Hoffman, former Assistant Finance Director, passed away on Feb. 12. Both men retired after many years of service to the county.

It is rare to fly the county flag at half-staff by itself. Usually, a U.S. President or Virginia’s Governor orders the U.S. Flag or Virginia Flag, respectively, to be lowered, and the county flag is lowered alongside it.

The county’s flag is usually lowered when a member of the county’s public safety service dies in the line of duty, or when a long-serving public servant or official passes away, as is what happened in this case, said Grant.