Dennis Hof changed the game.

“He turned an occupation of guilt and shame to money and fame,” said Wendy Hoffman, who goes by the stage name of “Willow Love.”

“He was concerned with our families,” she said. “He was concerned with our lifestyles. He was concerned with how we were doing. He always allowed us to be us.”

Hoffman was among several people to show up for a memorial service Saturday in the Royal Crown Room at Casino Fandango in Carson City. The service was to celebrate the life of Nevada’s most famous legal pimp.

On Oct. 16, the brothel owner turned politician died in his sleep at his Love Ranch brothel in Crystal, while he was celebrating his 72nd birthday.

Beyond the Bunny Ranch: Who was Dennis Hof?

Authorities have said no foul play is suspected, and it could take six weeks for a cause of death to be determined.

On Saturday, several people showed up late and weren’t allowed inside the ballroom. The service was strict on attendance. A security guard stood outside of the ballroom, only allowing individuals with a ticket or a personal invitation inside. The entrance of the ballroom was blocked off to the public with black fabric screens.

The few members of the media who attended the service were also escorted outside the casino to a staging area near valet parking.

Hof owned several legal brothels in Nevada — four in Lyon County. That includes the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, Kit Kat Guest House, Love Ranch North and Sagebrush.

In southern Nevada, Hof owned the Love Ranch Vegas. He also upended Nevada politics this summer when he ousted an incumbent state lawmaker in a GOP primary for a Southern Nevada Assembly seat.

Hoffman has worked at the Bunny Ranch for 10 years. She plans to continue her work there, despite losing a leader. She said Hof updated his will every year but was unsure who would take over ownership of the brothels.

Hoffman said she and several other working women felt shocked at learning Hof had died. She said some of the women were in denial.

She first met Hof while working at the Love Ranch. She remembered a time when Hof took her and a friend for a ride on his motorcycle

“We went on a motorcycle on a sidecar to Virginia City,” Hoffman said. “He took us on a horse ride carriage that goes and shows the whole history. So, we learned a lot of stuff.”

Hoffman said she had a personal relationship with Hof. When she became pregnant with her son, Hof threw her a baby shower. She said she was allowed to work whenever she wanted so she could take care of her son.

'The Art of the Pimp': Outtakes from Dennis Hof's memoir (it's NSFW)

“Any problems I had with a boyfriend or with the law or with anything, he was always there for us,” Hoffman said. “He was always there for every single girl.”

He taught the women how to file their taxes and build up their credit. Hoffman said Hof had a saying.

“‘You can pick your nose, you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family,’” she said. “Dennis chose us as his family… He loved us.”

Hoffman said Hof was always working.

“Everything he did was to promote,” she said. “His birthday parties weren’t his birthday parties. His birthday parties were there for us to make money.”

In September, the Nevada Department of Public Safety said it was investigating Hof because of a request from the Carson City Sheriff’s office.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that three former prostitutes accused Hof of sexual assault in 2005, 2009 and 2011 at his Bunny Ranch brothel near Carson City and Love Ranch brothel outside Las Vegas. Hof denied the allegations and prosecutors declined to file charges, citing the expired statute of limitations.

Hoffman said she believes those allegations were just claims made against Hof because of his fame. She said Hof protected all of the women working at the brothels, many of whom were previously under the control of a pimp. She also credited Hof with helping to prevent human trafficking through online sites such as Craigslist.

“That man is a good man,” she said. “He’s not perfect, but he’s a good man.”

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