James B. Hosgood James B. Hosgood James B. Hosgood James B. Hosgood James B. Hosgood James B. Hosgood James B. Hosgood James B. Hosgood
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Obituary for James B. Hosgood

James B.  Hosgood
James B. Hosgood, a long-time resident of Pennsburg, formerly of Sellersville, passed away on Monday, September 12, 2016, in Grand View Hospital, West Rockhill Township. He was 87.

He was the beloved husband of Doris (Young) Hosgood for 33 years and the late Betty A. (Weitzel) Hosgood.

Born in Mt. Carmel, PA, he was the son of the late James and Viola (Mann) Hosgood.

Jim was a 1948 graduate of Sell-Perk High School, where he was a gifted athlete, playing fullback on the football team and catcher on the baseball team all four years. He also ran track in his senior year. Following high school, he would play for the local baseball team, the Redbirds.

Mr. Hosgood was a U.S. Army veteran, having served during the Korean War. Wounded in action, he received a Bronze Star.

Jim had been employed for 39 years with the former U. S. Gauge Division, Ametek, Inc., Sellersville. He had also worked for Perkasie and Hatfield Boroughs, the Lansdale Power Plant, Sordoni Contractors, and Henkels & McCoy Utility Contractors.

He had been a member of Ridge Valley United Church of Christ, Sellersville.

Jim coached Greenjackets midget football for 15 years and saw three of his players go on to play pro football. He was also an umpire for high school baseball for 25 years.

A life member of the Sellersville Fire Department for over 55 years, Jim had been an active firefighter and later served as the SFD delegate to the state Fireman’s Association of Pennsylvania. For a number of years, he played Santa during the Christmas Eve fire truck community visits. He had also volunteered with the Telford Diving and Rescue Unit and the Mont Clare Diving Unit in Montgomery County and the Greater Philadelphia Search & Rescue Unit.

For more than 50 years, Jim raised and trained bloodhounds to be used in prisons and police departments throughout the United States. He and his dogs had also been personally involved in many Search and Rescue missions, traveling to the Virgin Islands, Texas, Montana, and several other states to search for missing people over a 50 year period. Jim appeared several times on the television shows, “Unsolved Mysteries” and “Forensic Files.” Throughout that time, Jim never charged for his services.

A no-nonsense man with a sharp wit, Jim especially loved time spent on the family farm.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, James “Greg” Hosgood, of Tyrone, PA; Cynthia Wadsworth, of Sellersville; Judith Hosgood and her companion, Jeff Wenger, of Port St. Lucie, FL; his step-children, Holly Lofland and her companion, Stephanie White, of Tallahassee, FL; Michael Lofland and his wife, Polly, of Sellersville; Matthew Lofland and his companion, David Mahon, of Aurora, Colorado; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a brother, Barry Hosgood and his wife, Barbara, of Lansdale.

In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by a brother, Merle Hosgood, a sister, June Gross, two daughters-in-law, Cheryl Hosgood and Robin Wadsworth; and a grandson-in-law, Robert Cruz, Jr.

His memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, October 1, in the Sellersville Fire Department, 2 North Main Street, Sellersville, PA 18960, where a visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until time of service. Interment with full military honors will follow in Sellersville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sellersville Fire Department, P. O. Box 315, Sellersville, PA 18960 or to the Telford Diving and Rescue Unit, 2349 Shelly Rd., Harleysville, PA 19438.

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