The Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) offers numerous benefits, but for Daniel and Gwendolyn Hoffman, the biggest reward was finding each other and building a life together. Their love story began in 1989 when Gwendolyn was already serving as an emergency services 911 dispatcher for the Fairbanks Police Department, and Daniel had just begun working as a patrol officer. Despite working in different roles, their dedication to their work helped them complete 20 years of PERS service. Gwendolyn retired in 2004, and Daniel retired as Chief of Police five years later in 2009, each having served the department for two decades. The couple celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary in July 2021 and continues to call Fairbanks their home.

Retirement has been far from mundane for the couple. Gwendolyn's artistic talents keep her busy as an accomplished Athabascan beadwork artist. She creates intricate and awe-inspiring traditional native beadwork on moccasins, baskets, and other crafts for prominent gatherings in Alaska and beyond. Meanwhile, Daniel took advantage of the COVID lockdown to tap into his creative side and wrote his first book, An Alaska Flyfisher's Odyssey: Seeking a Life of Drag-Free Drift in the Land of the Midnight Sun. The book details his passion for fly fishing in Alaska and showcases his love for nature and adventure. With their PERS retirement providing a good foundation for long-term financial stability, Daniel was able to structure the book as a somewhat philanthropic effort, pledging to donate half of his author's profits to Trout Unlimited to support their Alaskan operations. Collaborating with his wife, Daniel was thrilled to have Gwendolyn produce the stunning beadwork of a jumping rainbow trout, which he used as the cover of his book.

The couple enjoys their life in Fairbanks, surrounded by the natural wonders and beauty of the Alaskan landscape. They spend their winters exploring new places and their summers and autumns fishing, hunting, dip-netting, hiking, and berry-picking. Daniel and Gwendolyn are grateful for the abundance of the land and waters around them and cherish every moment spent in nature.

If you would like to learn more about how your State of Alaska retirement can allow you to enjoy a comfortable retirement, please contact the Division toll-free at (800) 821-2251 or at (907) 465-4460 in Juneau.

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