March 27, 1932 — September 3, 2023
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2023 Digital Issue
BOUNTIFUL, UTAH – Robert Sidney Hosking – the talented helicopter pilot of “Otto The Helicopter Clown,” and many other roles, passed away peacefully in his home September 3, 2023. Born on March 27, 1932, Bob was the only child of Josephine Wilson and Sidney Russell Hosking. The family spent much of Bob’s young life in mining towns near Boise, Idaho. At his father’s passing when he was only 12 years old, Bob learned from a young age to work hard and fix almost anything that needed fixing. He rebuilt cars, cooked meals, and dutifully delivered groceries at the nearby market.
Considered a master of many things, Bob was more legend than man. He wrestled in college at Utah State University, served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England, fought honorably in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, built his own helicopter company from the ground up, and traveled the country as an airshow performer. Bob was also an accomplished carpenter who built handcrafted gifts for family, a chef who made gourmet meals, and a daredevil who rode his Harley-Davidson motorcycle well into his 80s, just to name a few of his exploits.
But the highlight of his life was when Bob married Carma Annette Black in the Salt Lake City Temple on August 26, 1954. The couple raised three boys – Scott, Craig, and Kenneth – who grew up fishing, flying, and traveling. He passed on the lessons of hard work he had learned at a young age to his own boys – a value that continues to be instilled in the next generation.
Bob’s incredible work ethic, unwavering bravery, and unparalleled precision in everything he did earned him admiration from all who knew him. Annette said it best, “Everybody needs a BOB like ours!”
Bob is preceded in death by his wife, Annette, and great-grandson, Kayson Shelton. He is survived by his sons Scott (Kim), Craig (Becky), and Ken (Rolayne).
Services were streamed here: https://www.russonmortuary.com/obituaries/robert-hosking
EDITOR’S NOTE: I had the pleasure of presenting Bob and Annette Hosking with the “Bill Barber Award For Showmanship” at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 1994, an award selected by past recipients that included other all-time airshow greats. I also had the opportunity of working with them – and their son, Craig – at airshows around the country. Those were fun times, memorable times. The airshow entertainment industry is a close-knit family. Fellow performers WERE family, and we shared the joys of our lives, and the sorrows, especially when a fellow performer was killed doing what they loved to do, or passed away from natural causes, as was the case with Bob and Annette Hosking. Always blue skies, Bob, and belated blue skies to you, Annette “Mom” Hosking!
(Remembrance by Dave Weiman)
