Dale E. Hostetter

Dale Earl Hostetter, aged 91, entered eternal rest on Sunday, August 13, 2023, from Wellspan/GSH in Lebanon. He was the widower of Thelma Blauch Hostetter, who died November 23, 2019, to whom he had been married 69 years. Dale, the 10th of 12 children of the late Albert Henry and Mary Susan Light Hostetter, was born April 18, 1932, on his parents’ farm in Bellegrove where he lived and worked until he purchased the neighboring farm, moved one-half mile away in 1962, and lived there for the remainder of his life. He began his dairying career early in life, as he milked cows by hand every morning before school. Little did he know how valuable this experience would be, as many years later he went on to win the hand milking contest several times at the county fair, accumulating twice the amount of milk as the second place finisher. He attended the South Bellegrove School, a one-room school, completing the eighth grade in 1946. As young adults he and his brother Sonny (Albert L.) were avid raccoon hunters, and he also enjoyed hunting small game and white-tailed deer. Dale was a dedicated and knowledgeable farmer and cattle dealer, having made countless trips to Wisconsin throughout the years to purchase top-quality registered and grade Holstein dairy cows for private sale and for auction at New Holland Sales Stables, where he was a stockholder for nearly 30 years, some of the cows going as far as California, New Mexico, Florida, and Iowa. He also exported several dozen bulls to buyers from foreign countries such as Germany, Holland, France, Italy, Belgium, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Dale and his family enjoyed raising show cattle, with which they won numerous trophies and prestigious awards at the Lebanon Area Fair and other shows, including the Eastern National Show in Harrisburg. He served as a delegate to the National Holstein Convention 12 times, and in 2012, was named to the Pennsylvania Holstein Association Hall of Fame. Over the years Dale was an important part of Em-Tran, Inc., when it was at the height of its business in Elizabethtown, PA, supplying as many as 1000 recipient heifers per year for embryo transfer. He also served as a North Annville Township Supervisor for 36 years (1970-2006) and was a faithful member of St. John’s E.C. Church and Sunday School in Steelstown. In addition to his wife and parents Dale was predeceased by his eleven siblings-four brothers, Elvin and his first wife Grace Blauch Hostetter and second wife, Martha Keyton Hostetter, Albert L. (Sonny) and his wife, Jane Early Hostetter Shuey, Carl, young child Henry Hostetter, and seven sisters, Mildred and husband, Roy Blauch, Iva June and husband, Irwin Early, Marion and husband, Warren Barnhart, Arlene and husband, J. Henry Meyer, Betty Hostetter, infant Dora Hostetter, and Mary and husband Kenneth Buffenmeyer. He was also preceded in death by a grandson, Nevin Hostetter, a great grandson, Justin Case, and a great-great grandson, infant Oliver Hostetter. Dale is survived by three sons, Ernest, husband of Gail Leonard Hostetter, of East Hanover Township, Calvin, husband of Eileen Kurtz Hostetter, of Somerset County, and Alan, husband of Robin Mumma Hostetter, of Bellegrove, and one daughter, Brenda, wife of Ron Wolfe of Bellegrove, 16 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, 2 step great grandchildren, 1 great-great grandson Dean Hostetter whom he had yet to meet, and 1 sister-in-law, Mary Fansler Hostetter, widow of Carl, and dozens of nieces, nephews, and extended family. A public viewing will be held from 6:00PM-8:00PM on Friday, August 18th, 2023, at Kreamer Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 618 E. Main St. Annville, PA 17003. An additional public viewing will be held from 10:00AM-11:00AM on Saturday, August 19th, 2023, at St. John’s E.C. Church, 683 Steelstown Road Annville, PA 17003. Funeral Services will begin at 11:00AM on Saturday at the Church.

Dale E. Hostetter

April 18, 1932 - August 13, 2023