Blake Smith Hosford

Blake Hosford was a wiry, sandy haired guy with a ready grin and a host of friends of all sorts and conditions. Blake, 57 died Friday at the John R. Williamson Hospice House following a brief illness. A son Drake Hosford, survives him, and also, his mother, Patsy Hosford, both of El Dorado, a brother, Jeff Hosford of Dallas, Texas, a niece Lindsey Hosford and a nephew, Mark Hosford, both of Little Rock and numerouse aunts, uncles, and cousins. His father, Bubba, and his sister, Terri predeceased him.

He was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, where Fr. Bob Allen and Fr. Chuck will celebrate his Requiem, at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Memorials may be made to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 512 Champagnolle Road, El Dorado, AR 71730, or to the John R. Williamson Hospice House, 2301 Champagnolle Road, El Dorado, AR 71730.

Blake loved duck hunting (which he did around Stuttgart) and even served as a guird on some of those hunts. He was a deer hunter, also. Another of his loves was motorcycles and riding them.

As a younger man Blake worked in rice farming with family in southeast Arkansas. In the early 90s he went to work for El Dorado Irrigation and later bought the business. One of his current employees said of him, “Blake made work like fun, we always had a good time together!” How many bosses can have that said about them? Perhaps because he took people in to work for him and treat them like family.