James Wesley Hockin
MSHA retiree, outdoorsman enjoyed family gatherings
James Wesley Hockin, 92, of Indiana, passed away Monday, July 29, 2013.
A son of Percival and Adah Bassett Hockin, he was born September 20, 1920, in Dubois.
After moving to Punxsutawney, he attended Punxsutawney High School and graduated in 1938.
Mr. Hockin was employed in the coal industry all his life. In 1950, he moved to Greene County, where he was employed by Duquesne Light Mining for 19 years. In 1969, he moved to Indiana, where he was employed by R&P and the federal government as an inspector for Mine Safety and Health Administration. He retired in 1983 from the MSHA.
He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church, Masonic Valley Lodge 459, Fayco Forest 852, Valley of Uniontown and Valley of Altoona.
Mr. Hockin was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who enjoyed nothing more than family gatherings, complete with a picnic and whiffle ball game. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, hunting and following the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also enjoyed spending time in his garden.
Surviving are his wife, Patricia Snyder Hockin; five children, Carol Hockin Minor and husband Jim of Mapletown, Richard Hockin and wife Mildred of Indiana, David Hockin of Bobtown, Connie Hockin Reid and husband Anthony of Indiana and Claudia Hockin Trout and husband Greg of Indiana; 12 grandchildren, James Minor and Malinda Minor Forsberg, both of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., Matthew Minor of Holly Springs, N.C., Dr. Benjamin Hockin of Billings, Mont., Dr. Stacy Hockin Generalovich of Poland, Ohio, Jennifer Hockin Skumlien of Bobtown, Jessica Hockin Garnek of Bobtown, Ryan Reid of Phoenix, Ariz., Kelly Reid of Indiana, Renee Trout Thomas of Indiana, Shawn Trout of Miffintown and Hannah Hockin of Bobtown; 13 great-grandchildren; a brother, Kenneth Hockin of Winchester, Va.; and four sisters, Jean Segner of Chesapeake, Va., Eleanor Nystrom of Indiana, Lucille Belin of Punxsutawney and Suzanne Pierce of Ann Arbor, Mich.
Deceased are his parents, brother Percy and daughter-in-law Sharon Prete Hockin.
According to his wishes, there will be no visitation. Private funeral service will be held in John A. Lefdahl Funeral Home with Pastor Kathy Mihoerck officiating. Interment will follow in Morningside Cemetery, Dubois.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Grace United Methodist Church or a charity of one’s choice.