Alan Hostetler

Alan Duane Hostetler, age 73 years of Niles, Michigan; husband, father, grandfather, chef, 4-H supporter, and friend to all, died peacefully on Wednesday afternoon, February 5, 2025 with his wife at his bedside in their home, following an extended illness.

He was born on December 26, 1951 in South Bend, Indiana to Clayton and Lorene (Krzyzanowski) Hostetler, and was graduated from South Bend Riley High School. He was employed for many years at the former Rose’s Hatchery, Inc. in South Bend, overseeing the incubation of chicken eggs, hatching, and shipping. Through the hatchery, he supplied chicks for area 4-H projects, and became an active supporter of 4-H. He later served as manager at several area hotels.

Alan – “Big Al” – had quite a gregarious personality, was very sociable, and was fond of company, always visiting in-person or on the telephone with a friend. Much of being sociable is sharing meals, especially Polish dinners with sausage. But he also enjoyed entertaining, including grocery shopping – stopping often in the aisles to visit with fellow shoppers – and preparing meals in the kitchen. He was well-known for his annual Thanksgiving Dinners, and for his pizza baking skills. His favorite entertaining was caring for his family, especially his grandchildren who referred to their grandfather as “Chef Boyardee”.

On June 10, 1972 he married the former Annitta Marie Haley at an outdoor ceremony on her parents’ farm. They celebrated last year the remarkable Fifty-second Anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Annitta Hostetler and their children, Clayton Hostetler, Chaney Hostetler, and Audrey (& Ryan) Kelley, all of Niles; grandchildren, Haley Lewandowski, Nickolas (& Rebecca) Lewandowski, Deena (& Daniel) Smith, Douglas Lewandowski, Destiny Szucs, and Taylor Szucs; eleven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and by several siblings including Anthony Petrowski to whom Alan was known as “Dutch”.

The family of Alan Hostetler is gathering privately to share memories and honor his life. Committal will be private, at a later date, at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. Arrangements were completed at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. Memories and condolences may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Alan’s life was clearly a daily celebration where he would take his job to the next level to help 4-H kids; make grocery shopping into social media; and go beyond sharing meals to preparing meals. He knew everyone, strangers quickly becoming friends because Alan listened to them; and above all, he loved his family, especially Annitta.