William Hosford Obituary

William G. "Bill" Hosford, 78, died November 8, 2023, of brain cancer while residing in Marion, Iowa. Bill leaves behind daughter Daria "Shelley" Kamp (Kevin Kamp) and their children Peter and Aleksandra "Sasha"; daughter Heather Hosford; former wife Winifred "Winnie" Hosford; brothers James "Tater" Jr. and David; sisters Mary "Bunny" Colella and Ruth Jarret; and beloved family and friends, including those of his deceased sweetheart, Ruth Heywood Miller. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and James Hosford Sr., and brother, Peter Hosford. Born and raised in Franklin, MA, Bill joined the U.S. Navy Reserve while in high school and proudly served as a submarine radioman during the Vietnam conflict. He earned degrees in Massachusetts and moved to Iowa in 2001 to be closer to family and work as a teacher-librarian until retirement in 2010. From 2015 to 2022, he resided in Florida and North Carolina before returning to Iowa. Bill's career included teaching, librarianship, and electrical engineering. He was an artist, published author, photographer, musician, modelmaker, and woodworker. He was an amateur radio operator, private pilot, beekeeper, and family genealogist. He volunteered with the Boy Scouts, 4-H, Science Station, American Space Museum, and Battleship NC. He often joked that he didn't know what he was going to be when he grew up. Bill's cremains will be interred privately in the family plot in Massachusetts. In the spirit of Bill's commitment to volunteerism, the family asks that you contribute your time to help others.