More detail on this person: Howard Kosel Lt. Col. Howard E. Kosel (USAF, Ret.), 75, of Naples, FL, died peacefully Friday, September 7, 2007 at home surrounded by his loved ones. Howard was born October 18, 1931 in St. Cloud, MN, a son of Joseph and Amanda Waggoner Kosel. After graduating in 1950 from Billings, MT Central Catholic High School, he graduated in 1954 from Portland University, Portland, OR and entered the Air Force. On June 16, 1956, Howard and Patricia Dillon of Girard, OH were married in Fakenham, Norfolk, England. He served his country in uniform for 20 years with postings in England, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Louisiana and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. He also served in Saigon and DaNang, Vietnam in 1967 to 1968 earning a bronze star. Upon retiring from active military service in 1975, he worked for Topco, Inc. in Skokie, IL. In 1981, he became the CEO of Sathers Candy Company of Round Lake, MN. During his tenure, he engineered the acquisition of several candy companies and manufacturing facilities, quadrupling the company's sales. For his efforts, he was inducted in 1996 into the National Candy Hall of Fame in Hershey, PA. He retired to Naples in 1997 while remaining active on various boards and was a member of the Vineyards Country Club as an avid golfer. He is survived by his wife, Pat; five children, Anne Kosel (Buddy) of Jamestown, CO, Joyce (Bob) Wils and David Kosel, both of Johnsburg, IL, Jane Kosel of Arlington Heights, IL and Joseph (Shari) Kosel of Lead, SD; two sisters, Audrey Crum of Aloha, OR and Inez Walker of Spokane, WA; brother, Gerald (Gloria) Kosel of Walnut Creek, CA; sisters-in-law, Ann Kosel of Billings, MT and Teresa Kosel of Colorado Springs; seven grandchildren, Shannon, Lauren, Ian, Dillon, Alyssa, Daniel and Julia; and great-grandchild, Alyssa. His children and grandchildren remember him as an awesome, generous, thoughtful and funny Dad and Papa and he will be greatly missed. Howard was preceded in death by parents; and brothers, Joseph and Marvin Kosel. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to a memorial service and casual luncheon to be held in celebration of his life Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. at the Vineyards Country Club in Naples. Military burial at a national cemetery will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to Hospice of Naples, Inc., 1095 Whippoorwill Lane, Naples, FL 34105. Fuller Funeral Home Pine Ridge Road 592-1611
Burial information: Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, SD
This information was last updated 02/08/2019
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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