Gary Max Hoskey, age 81, of Montour, Iowa, passed away Monday, September 14, 2026, surrounded by his family, following a brief illness with cancer.

He was born May 1, 1945 in Toledo, Iowa, the son of Melvin and Maxine (McCoy) Hoskey. He grew up on their farm in Toledo, and from a very young age it was clear that farming wasn't simply going to be his occupation. It was going to be his way of life.

He bought his first farm at just 16 years old, giving up many of the activities of a typical high school student to begin building the life he wanted. He was active in FFA, holding numerous offices and receiving the Iowa Star Farmer award at the age of 17.

He knew the value of hard work, getting up early to milk 21 cows, drive from Toledo to Ames for agriculture classes, return home to milk those same 21 cows in the evening, do his homework, sleep, and get up the next morning to do it all over again.

On December 23, 1963, he married his high school sweetheart, Geraldine “Geri” (Ridout) Hoskey. They met when they were 15, dated throughout high school, and spent nearly 64 years together, 62 of them as husband and wife. In many ways, they grew up together. He always liked to say that Geri loved his car before she loved him.

Their marriage was built not on the idea that life would always be easy, but on the promise that they would face it together. Together they raised 4 children: Paula, Wesley, Kitty Jo, and Melodie on the farm. He taught his children the value of hard work and responsibility through everyday farm life: cleaning pens, caring for animals, building fences, doing chores, solving problems and working together as a family.

More importantly, he and Geri taught their children the importance of faith. He was a follower of Jesus, and he made sure his family went to church together. They have attended the same church in Montour, Iowa their entire adult lives.

He loved the land and believed it deserved to be cared for. He didn't need the biggest or newest equipment to be content. He was happy with what he had and took pride in making it work. Massey Ferguson tractors were his favorite, with John Deere coming in a respectable second.

Whether it was a stubborn cow, a sick pig, broken machinery, a difficult farming year or, eventually, his own health, giving up simply wasn't part of who he was.

His concern for others extended well beyond his own farm. He had a particular heart for the underdog and wasn't afraid to stand up for what he believed in. Through his involvement with the Iowa Farmers Union, he traveled throughout Iowa speaking with and encouraging farmers who were struggling, including those who felt they were at the end of their rope. His advocacy eventually took him all the way to Washington, D.C., where he spoke before the United States Senate about the struggles facing farmers.

For all the seriousness with which he approached farming, some of his happiest moments were simple ones. He often said that growing up on a farm and in a small town gave him some of the best years of his life.

Pickups were another matter. He owned far too many of them over the years but loved every one. It needed to be a Dodge Ram or Dodge Dakota, and his family is fairly certain that if Dodge had ever made a boat, he would have owned one of those, too.

And when he wasn’t farming, he loved to fish.

Gary and Geri spent countless weekends at Lake Pepin, often going every other weekend. Whether he was actually fishing or simply sitting on the porch, he loved being there. Family, farming and fishing — those were the things he loved most.

He was also fiercely independent. Asking someone else for help never came easily. If something needed to be done, he would usually figure out a way to do it himself. And if he couldn't do it himself, there was a fair chance it simply wasn't going to get done.

That independence, determination and work ethic stayed with him throughout his life. But perhaps the greater legacy is what was underneath all of it: faith in God, devotion to his family, respect for the land, compassion for people who needed someone in their corner, and the belief that when something — or someone — was worth fighting for, you didn't give up.

Up until Gary’s recent illness, he enjoyed providing transportation for his friends in the Amish community. He especially loved taking the children to school every day. He told as many stories about them as he did about his own kids and grandkids. He considered them family.

Gary is survived by his wife of 62 years, Geri; his children, Paula (Damon) Fontinel, Wesley (Gina) Hoskey, Kitty Jo (Jim) Tysseling, Melodie (Charlie) Easter; 8 grandchildren, Blake (Danielle) Fontinel, Bridget (Cory) Mitchell, Jesse (Kalie Weuve) Hoskey, Aaron (Megan) Tysseling, Anna (Matthew) Fett, Ben Tysseling, Ellie Easter, Ethan Easter; 5 great grandchildren, Grace Fett, Maren Fett, Asher Tysseling, Ada Tysseling and Truett Mitchell, Sister Roberta Bohnsack and Brother Richard Hoskey; Brother-in-law Skip Ridout (Rose), Sister-in-Law Deet Kupka (Dave), and his fur baby, Sally.

He was preceded in death by his parents Melvin and Maxine Hoskey, his brother Rex Hoskey, brother-in-law Dale Bohnsack, sister-in-law Coleen Hoskey, brother-in-law Jack Kupka.

Funeral Services will be held Friday, September 25, 2026 at 10:30 AM at Redeemer Bible Church, in Montour, with Pastor Mike Vinson officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery in Montour. A luncheon will follow at the Montour Community Center. Visitation will be held Thursday, September 24, 2026 from 4-7 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made in Gary’s honor to the Tama County Humane Society, Redeemer Bible Church, or Iowa River Hospice.