Hostetler, Donavon Frederick (1932-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Oct 4 p. 3

Birth date: 1932 Jan 18

text of obituary:

YOUNG ARCHITECT IS KILLED IN ACCIDENT AT MANHATTAN, KAN.

Harper, Kan. — Funeral services were held at the Pleasant Valley Mennonite Church near here Saturday for Donovan [sic Donavon] F. Hostetler, 24, young architect who was fatally injured in an auto accident at Manhattan, Kan. on Sept 26. An uncle, Gideon G. Yoder of Hesston, preached the sermon.

Donovan [sic Donavon], youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. O. H. Hostetler of Harper, also leaves a brother, Dr. C. B. Hostetler of Des Plaines, Ill., and five sisters. He attended Bethel College and held two degrees in architecture from Kansas State College, where he was employed at the time of his death.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Oct 11 p. 8

text of obituary:

DONAVON HOSTETLER

Donavon Frederick Hostetler, son of Oliver H. and Leah (Beyler) Hostetler, was born at Harper, Kansas, on Jan. 18, 1932. He departed this life at the age of 24 on Sept. 26, 1956. His death was the result of an automobile accident at Manhattan, Kansas.

He graduated from Harper High School in 1949, then attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas from 1949 to 1951 after which he transferred to Kansas State College where he graduated in the spring of 1956, receiving a Bachelor of Architecture Degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Landscape Design. In 1953 he was elected to Tau Sigma Delta, and Honor Society in Architecture and Allied Arts, and Delta Phi Delta, an honorary engineer fraternity. In 1955 he receive the Alpha Rho Chi Medal, awarded to a student of the Department of Architecture and Allied Arts who demonstrated excellence in scholarship and possessed outstanding ability. He was also a member of the American Institute of Architecture. This same year he was named chairman of the Kansas State College Engineer Open House.

Following graduation he was employed by Kansas State College as member of the College Planning Staff. Don also was continuing his studies with the graduate school of architecture.

A library memorial fund has been established by the School of Architecture at Kansas State College in memory of Don. This fund is to purchase books for the library to be used by architectural students and will thus serve as a living memorial. Anyone wishing to support the fund may send their contribution to: The Don Hostetler Memorial Fund, School of Architecture, Kansas State College, Manhattan, Kansas.

A Church Music Memorial Fund is also being established.

Funeral services were held on Sept. 29, 1956, at the Pleasant Valley Church, Harper, Kansas, with interment at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Bishop Gideon G. Yoder and Rev. Waldo E. Miller were in charge of the services.

Surviving are his parents; one brother, Dr. Clarence S. Hostetler, Des Plaines, Ill.; and five sisters, Mildred, Mrs. Lloyd Hartzler of Elkhart, Ind., Elda, Mrs. Don Kreider of Des Plaines, Ill., Edna, Mrs. Elmo Kline of Elkhart, Ind., Avis, Mrs. Harold King of Atlanta, Georgia, and Opal, Mrs. Elbert Pankratz of Ardmore, Okla.