From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Michael W. Hoskins, age 50, died on Monday, March 3, 2003. Survived by wife, Joanne, and children Beth and Stephen Hoskins. Michael was a graduate of the University of North Carolina and started his broadcast career in Chapel Hill, NC, culminating in recent years with CBS Sports.
Mike always knew how to push my buttons, questioning the lack of depth in my reading choices, for example. I always took it personally instead of shaking it off.
Rosemary Haddon was at my house once and we were on phone extensions, talking with him. I mentioned I was taking my son to Disney World and Mike asked why I liked sanitized versions of reality for my vacations. I wanted to know why he had such an elitist attitude. I hung up on him & let Rosemary finish the conversation.
We'd talked about getting together when he was in Atlanta shooting a basketball tournament or in Augusta shooting the Masters. I figured we'd get back in touch with each other eventually.
Eventually never came because Mike died suddenly a few months later. His wife called Rosemary with the shocking news.
I learned a lesson about not hanging on to anger and not waiting to make amends with people. Mike was a good guy even if he did drive me crazy.
I was hoping at the last reunion i attended, to have a conversation with Mike, one of the most interesting guys in our class, but he did not attend. I am sorry I won't have that conversation. I am happy he was able to make his mark in his profession and I will miss my opportunity to see him again.
Because Mike had planned to have surgery in late February, I'd sent him some books to read while he was recovering. When I got a call the following week from JoAnne (Mike's wife), I thought she was merely going to give me an update on his condition. Instead, I was astounded to hear that he'd died from heart failure.
At that time, Mike was in a good place in life. He and JoAnne were restoring an old historic house, and he was working in a creative field that had recognized him for his talent---which I was able to witness firsthand, when Mike, who was still with Mizlou Sports at the time, asked me to help out with his camera crew during the 1982 World 600. Part of my job was to pull cable (and to stand out of camera range, holding the on-air sportscaster's ballcap---which he always took off whenever he interviewed a driver...[smile]). Mike kept things running smoothly---despite the heat, noise, and general chaos of a long (and LOUD) NASCAR event.
The last time I spoke with Mike, he told me that he and Leon Rippy---along with their wives---were going on a golfing vacation. He and I had also arranged to get together when he came to Little River to visit his mother. All of this seems so strange to me now, these hopeful plans that never materialized...
I still miss Mike's wicked wit, his fantastic singing voice, his master guitar prowess---and his big, booming laugh...
Mike was my friend. In the years immediately preceding his death we shared music with each other in MP3 files and got to know each other really well. What a jewel he was. I of course knew him in the early days; I would visit him on Greenbriar where he played the Mothers of Invention and Jimi Hendrix for me on his record player. He realized that I was a Jerry Butler type person, and I remember now his tolerant smile as he played for me this "strange" music.
IMike, like me, was "big-boned." He wanted so much to lose weight. I could not dissuade him from the gastro surgery. The doctors told him it was safe.
Mike spent much of his life playing accoustic music. And he played it well. He loved his son more than anything.
Mike and I sang together in the RHHS Chorus. He was truly a good guy. While working at Quail Hollow this year, I asked a couple of the CBS guys if they ever knew Mike Hoskins. One of the them smiled and said, "What a great guy!" That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?
I sit here tonight in tears after just reading about Fred Hembree, and remembering you Mike.
I tried to locate you for the past 2 decades, not knowing you were gone. Kerry Dozier told me you started out in Chapel Hill with CBS, then I could not find you, so finding this website has helped to answer more questions for me than I had counted on.
I have spent the last couple of months processing how many people are gone and I find myself just devastated at the moment.
Mike, words cannot express the capacity of pain I felt when I found your name on this list. I will always remember what a great guitar player you were...and that wonderful baritone voice, yes you were great...we were so lucky to grow up during such amazing times in the music world.
You did well, my friend...what a handsome young man you have left with us.
I had hoped to share some good stories with you regarding some of my circle of friends here in CA...musicians and entertainers...
Instead I find you are busy playing with the bands in Heaven now...
Finally getting to play with Jimi Hendrix and..singing 'The Wind Cries Mary'...one of my favorite memories...I remember watching the wind blow through the trees overhead as we all sang along and knowing in our souls what a special time we were living in...
You are missed my dear friend...and your memory will forever be in my heart...
This comment comes post 40th reunion, which in and of itself brought forth many memories as well as awakening to the often harsh realities of life. I did a bit of hangin' out with Mike around the 9th grade era. Even shared a bit of music in a fruitless attempt at a band (I cannot sing, much less play a musical instrument; "96 Tears"??). I can just imagine the conversation and intellect swap that may have occurred when Mike and Fred Hembree shared time and space. I surely hope they are having ample opportunity to share time, intellect, and music together now. fhd
Barbara Garrison (Stegall)
Date Deceased: March-3-2003Age at Death: 50
Cause of Death: Heart
Classmate City: Pittsburg
Classmate State: PA
Classmate Country: USA
Survived By:
Mike had won an Emmy award for his work with CBS Sports.
(provided by Betty Jean Stiff Franklin)
Barbara Garrison (Stegall)
This was found by Betty Jean Stiff...From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Michael W. Hoskins, age 50, died on Monday, March 3, 2003. Survived by wife, Joanne, and children Beth and Stephen Hoskins. Michael was a graduate of the University of North Carolina and started his broadcast career in Chapel Hill, NC, culminating in recent years with CBS Sports.
Betty Jean Stiff (Franklin)
Mike always knew how to push my buttons, questioning the lack of depth in my reading choices, for example. I always took it personally instead of shaking it off.Rosemary Haddon was at my house once and we were on phone extensions, talking with him. I mentioned I was taking my son to Disney World and Mike asked why I liked sanitized versions of reality for my vacations. I wanted to know why he had such an elitist attitude. I hung up on him & let Rosemary finish the conversation.
We'd talked about getting together when he was in Atlanta shooting a basketball tournament or in Augusta shooting the Masters. I figured we'd get back in touch with each other eventually.
Eventually never came because Mike died suddenly a few months later. His wife called Rosemary with the shocking news.
I learned a lesson about not hanging on to anger and not waiting to make amends with people. Mike was a good guy even if he did drive me crazy.
Nancy Dabney (Dieffenbach)
I was hoping at the last reunion i attended, to have a conversation with Mike, one of the most interesting guys in our class, but he did not attend. I am sorry I won't have that conversation. I am happy he was able to make his mark in his profession and I will miss my opportunity to see him again.Rosemary Haddon (Howell)
Because Mike had planned to have surgery in late February, I'd sent him some books to read while he was recovering. When I got a call the following week from JoAnne (Mike's wife), I thought she was merely going to give me an update on his condition. Instead, I was astounded to hear that he'd died from heart failure.At that time, Mike was in a good place in life. He and JoAnne were restoring an old historic house, and he was working in a creative field that had recognized him for his talent---which I was able to witness firsthand, when Mike, who was still with Mizlou Sports at the time, asked me to help out with his camera crew during the 1982 World 600. Part of my job was to pull cable (and to stand out of camera range, holding the on-air sportscaster's ballcap---which he always took off whenever he interviewed a driver...[smile]). Mike kept things running smoothly---despite the heat, noise, and general chaos of a long (and LOUD) NASCAR event.
The last time I spoke with Mike, he told me that he and Leon Rippy---along with their wives---were going on a golfing vacation. He and I had also arranged to get together when he came to Little River to visit his mother. All of this seems so strange to me now, these hopeful plans that never materialized...
I still miss Mike's wicked wit, his fantastic singing voice, his master guitar prowess---and his big, booming laugh...
Fred Hembree
Mike was my friend. In the years immediately preceding his death we shared music with each other in MP3 files and got to know each other really well. What a jewel he was. I of course knew him in the early days; I would visit him on Greenbriar where he played the Mothers of Invention and Jimi Hendrix for me on his record player. He realized that I was a Jerry Butler type person, and I remember now his tolerant smile as he played for me this "strange" music.
IMike, like me, was "big-boned." He wanted so much to lose weight. I could not dissuade him from the gastro surgery. The doctors told him it was safe.
Mike spent much of his life playing accoustic music. And he played it well. He loved his son more than anything.
Fred
Jim Armour
Mike and I sang together in the RHHS Chorus. He was truly a good guy. While working at Quail Hollow this year, I asked a couple of the CBS guys if they ever knew Mike Hoskins. One of the them smiled and said, "What a great guy!" That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?
Fred Hembree
Peg Abercrombie
I sit here tonight in tears after just reading about Fred Hembree, and remembering you Mike.
I tried to locate you for the past 2 decades, not knowing you were gone. Kerry Dozier told me you started out in Chapel Hill with CBS, then I could not find you, so finding this website has helped to answer more questions for me than I had counted on.
I have spent the last couple of months processing how many people are gone and I find myself just devastated at the moment.
Mike, words cannot express the capacity of pain I felt when I found your name on this list. I will always remember what a great guitar player you were...and that wonderful baritone voice, yes you were great...we were so lucky to grow up during such amazing times in the music world.
You did well, my friend...what a handsome young man you have left with us.
I had hoped to share some good stories with you regarding some of my circle of friends here in CA...musicians and entertainers...
Instead I find you are busy playing with the bands in Heaven now...
Finally getting to play with Jimi Hendrix and..singing 'The Wind Cries Mary'...one of my favorite memories...I remember watching the wind blow through the trees overhead as we all sang along and knowing in our souls what a special time we were living in...
You are missed my dear friend...and your memory will forever be in my heart...
Peg
Freddy Duncan
This comment comes post 40th reunion, which in and of itself brought forth many memories as well as awakening to the often harsh realities of life. I did a bit of hangin' out with Mike around the 9th grade era. Even shared a bit of music in a fruitless attempt at a band (I cannot sing, much less play a musical instrument; "96 Tears"??). I can just imagine the conversation and intellect swap that may have occurred when Mike and Fred Hembree shared time and space. I surely hope they are having ample opportunity to share time, intellect, and music together now. fhd