Francis Hosmer Culkin, known as Hosmer, was born on June 30, 1915 in Oswego, New York. He was the eldest child of Louise Grant Hosmer and Francis Dugan Culkin, who served in the House of Representatives from 1932 until 1943. A lawyer who practiced for fifty years, Hosmer was also an active member of several community organizations.
Hosmer attended Oswego High School and graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1932. He graduated from Harvard University in 1937 and Syracuse University Law School in 1941.
In April of 1942 Hosmer married Florence Kiley, who died in 2003. They had seven children: Francis Kiley (Frank) Culkin, Mary Louise Culkin, Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Neck, Florence Grant Feeley, Josephine Hosmer Culkin, William Edward (Bill) Culkin and Jean Culkin. Jean Culkin died in 1956 and Mary Culkin died in 2000. In addition to five children, Hosmer is also survived by ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
After working as an associate with Culkin and Amdursky, a law firm founded by his father, Hosmer entered the United States Army in 1942. He served as an officer in the Field Artillery and was honorably discharged at the close of the Second World War in 1945.
Hosmer returned to Oswego after the Second World War. He began a law practice with his close friend David J. Read. They practiced together until Read was killed in a plane crash in 1963. Hosmer continued to practice law until he retired in 1991 at the age of seventy-six.
Hosmer, who lived most of his life on Cayuga Street across from West Park, loved Oswego and devoted a great deal of time to community affairs. Like his father, he was active in the Republican Party and in the Oswego County Bar Association. In the early years of his practice he was also active in the Junior Chamber of Commerce, which honored him as its Man of the Year in 1958.
Hosmer served as a trustee of the Oswego Public Library from 1950 until 1993. He was a strong supporter of the current restoration of the library building.
He was a founding member of Operation Oswego County and dedicated himself to the organization’s efforts to maintain Oswego County’s economic viability. At various times, he served as a board member, legal counsel and president.
Hosmer firmly believed in the need for Oswego to maintain a locally-based independent hospital and served Oswego Hospital, in the capacities of board member and legal counsel, for almost fifty years.
A skilled golfer, Hosmer continued to play until his late eighties and was a life member of the Oswego Country Club, which his mother helped found. He won the Oswego Country Club Championship in 1941 and the President’s Cup, the Oswego Country Club Handicap Championship, on several occasions.
An avid sports fan, Hosmer was a faithful follower of the New York Yankees who saw Babe Ruth play several times. For many years he attended the majority of Syracuse University home football and basketball games. He played an active part in establishing youth hockey in Oswego with Dave Read and James Cullinan. He continued to attend Oswego State Hockey games until his death.
Hosmer harbored the same passion for reading he had for practicing law, for golf and for spectator sports. He continued to read and vigorously discuss the contents of what he had read until his final days.
Calling hours will be Thursday April 3 from 4 to 7 at Dain-Cullinan Funeral Home 112 East Second St. Oswego. The funeral service will be held at St. Mary’s Church in Oswego Friday April 4 at 10 AM. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Oswego Hospital 110 West Sixth St. Oswego, NY 13126or the Oswego Public Library East Second St. Oswego, NY 13126
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