Dr. Steven Dale Hosack, D.O

Dr. Steven Dale Hosack, D.O. (Dr. of Osteopathic Medicine), age 43, passed away suddenly in a Denver Hospital on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 during emergency surgery. Steven was born on June 6, 1981 at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, N.M. during a rare week-long heat wave of daily temps over 100* to parents Cynthia Nickel Hosack and James L. Hosack and big brother Scott. His first six years were in Albuquerque where he began school at Eastern Hills Baptist Kindergarten, and after moving to Columbia, MO mid-year he attended Rock Bridge Elementary to complete Kindergarten. Steven attended Fairview Elementary School for grades one through six, where he was in their Gifted Program Classes from grade 3, and later in the Honors Band playing the trumpet. His favorite day was on Tuesday in the Gifted Classes and favorite subjects were science and art. He made replicas of adobe brick houses like he had seen in New Mexico carefully crafting each adobe brick from backyard dirt; also models of ancient Mid-East buildings using sugar cubes (one was displayed at the University of MO History Museum). Steven also was in gymnastics classes and was very good at that, but was so concerned about homework and getting straight A’s that he decided to quit in 5th grade. Steven attended Jefferson Jr. High in Columbia, grades 7 thru 9, again excelling in academics and band, plus he learned to play the violin. He made many new friends who remained in contact years later. He joined after school organizations, plus National Honor Society and quit piano lessons. His last three years of High School were at Rock Bridge Sr. High School in Columbia, MO where he excelled in academics, band, orchestra and had perfect attendance. Steven was in many band groups, including Marching, Concert, Jazz, Show Choir Bands and Booster Band, Multi-Cultural Events, Backward-Dressed and Cross-Dressed Days, plus Band Competitions were some of his favorite times. Non-school activities with friends often involved building and perfecting the cannon-style “Potato Launcher”. This provided many hours of fun for Steven and his buddies, as they built their cannons, then rebuilt them to get desired results. In his last high school year, Steven had part-time jobs at a hardware store, Sears Order Pick Up Department, Sanitation Department at Boone Hospital and Banquet Server at University Alumni Center. Although Steven had a great sense of humor among friends, he remained serious and focused on studies, always striving for all A’s. He knew he was going to college and planned to become a doctor. In June of 2000 he graduated from Rock Bridge High School with academic honors. August of 2000 Steven began college life at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO where he studied science and pre-med courses and met many new friends, graduating in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Chemistry with honors in chemistry. At Truman University he helped form an Ultimate Frisbee team that competed several summers at the annual MO Show-Me State Games. Next Steven worked near St. Louis until he started on a medical program at the University of Kentucky at Lexington. After a year, he earned his Masters Degree and in 2008 went to N.E. Tennessee to begin Medical School at DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tennessee, proudly receiving his “white coat” in a White Coat Ceremony in October 2008. He continued his four years of studies there and various hospitals and clinics until his graduation from DeBusk College of Medicine on Mother’s Day Weekend in 2012. He could now be called “Dr. Hosack”. (His mother was there proudly cheering for him again). Steven drove to Southern California to start his internship near Colton. Enroute, he checked radiator hoses that broke loose and he suffered burns near his waist and body. He was in the desert with no A/C, real temp was about 114* F, and it was his birthday! Later that day he reached his destination, received first aid, went to rest in his rented room, and found it was upstairs and had no A/C! A year later he headed back east across the U.S. to start his residency at a hospital on Long Island, NY. There he faced new challenges, including the cost of getting on/off the island, recovering from a motorcycle accident that caused a painful back injury. He was discharged from the hospital, went to his apartment to rest, but found that the previous roommate had taken all of the furniture! After two years there in residency, he had officially completed all requirements except final tests and board exams. Upon passing the board exams, he was officially a board-certified Dr. of Osteopathic Medicine in the field of Family Medicine/General Practice and ready to apply for state licenses. Very soon he loaded all of his possessions into a used van he bought and headed west to his dream destination of Colorado with high hopes. It was the summer of 2017. Steven was “on the road again”. One of the first goals he worked toward in Colorado was to climb Long’s Peak, just as he and his dad had hoped to do (but Jim passed away in 2009). Steven climbed other peaks also. He loved being near the majestic mountains. He had worked at various agencies, including: Denver V.A. Hospital, V.A. Outpatient Clinic & Rehabilitation Clinics, had been a hospitalist and did tele-health medicine, often through agencies that had him work in Co, Ca, and OR. He was Board Certified and licensed to practice as a D.O. in Co and CA when he passed away at a Denver (Lutheran) Hospital. Dr. Hosack gave to others even at the end of his life through his physical gifts to the tissue and organ donor program. During his junior high and senior high school years, Steven had been on ski trips to CO with a Columbia family and loved to ski. Then while living there, he again enjoyed being on the ski slopes, plus playing Ultimate Frisbee &Trivia with his team, weekly pool games with his team, rock climbing and mountain climbing, wilderness camping, dark sky gazing, watching football with friends, attending festivals and volunteering with veterans’ groups he had joined as the son of a Vietnam Veteran and the grandson of WWII Veterans. Many of his friends remember Dr. Steve for his great sense of humor and his enjoyment of social activities. He made friends everywhere he went. As a young boy, he wanted to be liked and be friends with everyone in his classroom. Steven had traveled to many places in the U.S. and overseas, starting with family trips throughout the Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, East Coast, Baltimore and Washington D.C. He learned U.S. and Civil War History plus geology and collected rocks on all trips. He had gone on cruises with his dad during High School to Mexico with missions’ groups, Costa Rica with a college group, toured countries of Europe by himself and attended a wedding, traveled to India and hiked though Nepal with medical students and went to the North Boundary Waters. He was a “Traveling Man”. Steven was the second son born to Cynthia Nickel Hosack and James L. Hosack. He is survived by his mother Cynthia, older brother Scott James Hosack and wife Jessica of Columbia, MO, aunts and uncles: Diane and Tom Hand of Western, NE, Mary and Ron Lisec of Wichita Falls, TX, Carmen Hosack (and Peter Schomer) of Harlan, IA, cousins: Alicyn Ringler of Western, NE, James Ringler of Lincoln, NE, Ryan Lisec of Copperas Cove, TX, Jeffrey Lisec of Iowa Park, TX, Joel Lisec of Raleigh, NC, Kate (Hosack) Sandquist of Harlan, OA, Tom Hosack of West Des Moines, IA, David (Hosack) Hoth of Norwalk, IA, Jennifer (Hosack) Hamilton of Avoca, IA. Steven was preceded in death by his father James L. Hosack, grandparents: Milan Dale and Adela Wanek Nickel of Western and Leonard and Ruth Helvey Hosack of Wilber, uncles: Jimmy D. Ringler of Western and William D. Hosack of Harlan, IA. Donations may be made to: American Legion Charities, VFW, or Paralyzed Veterans, Western or Wilber American Legion, Western Heritage Museum, Donate Life America (National Organization for Tissue & Organ Donors), Shriners Hospitals, Western Plainview Cemetery, Make-A-Wish Foundation.Services were March 15, 2025, at Kuncl Funeral Home in Wilber. Burial at the Western Plainview Cemetery. Lunch followed at American Legion Hall in Western.Arrangements entrusted to Kuncl Funeral Home in Wilber. p

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