Hosfield, Danny Lyle

HOSFIELD, WALZ, JONES, RATHBUN, WOOD

Posted By: Ken Baker (email)
Date: 7/16/2022 at 09:33:29

From Watson Armstrong Funeral Home Site

Danny Lyle Hosfield
Danny Lyle Hosfield, 78, of Leawood, Kansas, passed away June 30, 2022.

Dan was born in 1944 in Leon, Iowa and grew up helping on his family’s farm in Ellston, Iowa. He was a fierce basketball competitor on his high school team, served as senior class president, and was widely known as a friend to all, the life of the party, and a class act.

After graduating high school, Dan headed to Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where he was president of his fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. At Simpson, he met his future bride, Lisbeth “Becky” Hosfield, and they married in 1966. Not long after getting married, Dan enlisted in the U.S. Army, and with his college degree in hand he entered Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Ft. Riley, KS. He liked to share that for over 20 years he held the Ft. Riley OCS physical fitness test record, having earned a perfect score. Dan and Becky welcomed their only child, a daughter, Deborah, in 1968, and soon thereafter Dan headed to Vietnam as a Lieutenant and Platoon Leader. Though combat-wounded himself, he was proud to say he never lost a single soldier on his watch and all of his men came home. He was honored to have served his country, and while memories of Vietnam haunted him, he carried strong patriotism and love of country with him to his last day. When Dan returned from the war, he and Becky made their home in Prairie Village, Kansas from 1972 until 1975, at which time they moved to Leawood.

Dan had a few different jobs in his early career, but in the early 80s he came to the conclusion that he was happiest (and most effective) as his own boss. In 1982 he started his own insurance and employee benefits firm, Hosfield Associates. For many years, he was a top health insurance producer for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas City, winning exciting trips to the Superbowl and the Olympics in Barcelona. While building his business and advancing his career, Dan also completed a Master’s Degree in History from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Away from work, Dan was a passionate weekend cowboy. He loved taking his beautiful Palomino horse on trail rides with the Saddle & Sirloin Club, or participating in full parade regalia in the American Royal parade each year. Dan was an avid—though not particularly skilled—fly fisherman and enjoyed annual trips to the Flat Rock Club in Mack’s Inn, Idaho to cast his line in the Snake River. He was an active lifelong Republican and served in many local political roles, including County Commissioner. He and Becky enjoyed having a lakefront property at Lake Lotawana, Missouri and on weekends could be found there grilling up burgers and hotdogs with friends. Other things Dan loved: historical non-fiction, Ronald Reagan, bird-watching, frozen Snickers candy bars, popcorn, wearing a scary mask to scare people, telling jokes, and quiet chilly nights by a roaring fire. What Dan loved most of all, though, was his role as “Boppa” to his two grandsons. He loved attending their sporting events, taking them on adventures, and generally spoiling them as the best grandfathers do.

Dan is predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Becky Hosfield; his parents, Lyle and Nadine (Wood) Hosfield; and a niece, Christina Jones.

He is survived by daughter Deborah Walz (Brent); grandsons Spencer Walz and Ethan Walz; sister Marsha Jones (Maurice); nieces Laura Rathbun (Derek) and Elisa Jones (Nick Webb); and many Hosfield and Wood cousins.

A memorial service is planned for 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 30 at Ellston United Methodist Church in Ellston, IA.