Michael L. Hoskins

Mike was born October 28, 1936 to Robert L. and Elsie Hoskins in Flagstaff, Arizona. After a few years, Mike and his family moved to California and he spent most of his childhood in Los Molinos in Northern California. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Elsie.

Mike joined the U.S. Navy at the tender age of 17, and served during the Korean War. Following three years of service, Mike went to college, graduating from Chico State University in 1961 with a Bachelor's of Science degree.

While studying at Chico State, Mike met Suzanne Hallberg, the woman who would become his devoted wife and the mother of his two sons, Michael Lee Hoskins Jr. and Joel Thomas Hoskins. Mike and Suzanne were married in 1958 in Inglewood,

California and enjoyed a long, happy and loving marriage of 52 years.

After graduation, Mike returned to the military, entering the U.S. Air Force Officer Training School. He dedicated the next 22 years of his life to service in the Air Force as a decorated communications and radar evaluations officer, including an assignment as Commander of the Air Force Station at Montauk Point, Long Island, New York.

During his Air Force years, Mike traveled the world, including remote duties in Alaska, Philippines, Germany, and throughout Europe.

After leaving the military, Mike continued his service to the public for the rest of his working career, first as a Health Inspector for the Merced County California Department of Health, and then later as the Chief Health Inspector for the Sequoia and King's Canyon National Parks. In particular, Mike's years with the national parks system were truly fulfilling to him as he was able to spend so much time working in the outdoors, interacting with nature, wildlife and lots of different people.

Over the years, Mike enjoyed a wide range of interests and hobbies, sharing many of them with his sons. He built and flew radio-controlled planes, raced go-carts with his boys, and took them flying during his time as an amateur pilot. He was an avid amateur radio hobbyist, spending many years talking with fellow HAM radio operators across the globe. Mike will be universally remembered as fun-loving with a terrifically sociable and irreverent sense of humor. At the same time, he has been a true and consistent example of integrity, respect, loyalty, wisdom, and kindness to his family, as well as everyone who knew and met him. He was a wonderfully loving, giving, and forgiving father and grandfather. While somewhat limited in later years by the effects of emphysema, Mike enjoyed a life that was contented and full throughout, of all the people and experiences he loved.

Mike is survived by his wife of 52 years, Suzanne Hoskins, his brother Pat R. Hoskins and his two sons, Michael L. Hoskins Jr. and Joel T. Hoskins as well as his four grandchildren, Aubreylee, Michael Eugene, Abby Caitlin and Max Cooper.

A memorial service and military honors are planned for 11:00 AM, Monday, December 27, 2010 at Swan Law Funeral Director's, 501 North Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado, to be followed by private inurnment at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

Arrangements under the direction of Swan-Law Funeral Directors, Colorado Springs, Colorado.