USS SLC...Enlisted Navy...Floyd E. Hoskins, EM1c

Floyd E. Hoskins passed away on Aug. 26, 2002

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Oct. 25th, 2002
Obituary

Ever since his first trip to China as a navy seaman in the 1930’s, Floyd Hoskins had been fascinated with Asian history and culture.

As a professor for more than 10 years at the State University of West Georgia, he brought history alive for his students with stories based on his experiences and items he acquired during his travels.

“He was dedicated to the idea that we ought to learn about other people, “ said colleague Mel Steely of Carrollton. “He thought by trying to understand other cultures the students could learn more about their own. The rest of us in the history department depended on him for history majors. Once they took his class, they were so excited about history they wanted to major in it.”

The funeral for Floyd Elbert Hoskins, 88, of Carrollton was held at the Presbyterian Church. He died of complications from lung cancer on Aug. 26th, 2000 at Tanner Medical Center.

After graduating from a one-room schoolhouse in Iowa, Floyd joined the Navy, spending the next 30 years in the service. He became a captain and commanded three ships that were torpedoed during WWII. he received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.

Floyd also was assigned to the CIA, which is where he learned to speak Russian to add to his already fluent Japanese.

Teaching, one of four careers for Floyd, came after real estate sales & before cutting and polishing stones for the jewelry he made for sale. He graduated from the University of Missouri and Florida Atlantic University and studied for his doctorate in Asian history at Florida State University, said his wife, Laurel Hoskins.

“Before we married I went to a lecture he gave on American-Soviet relations, and I was just mesmerized,” she said. “He had an intense interest in the world and what was going on.”

Floyd passed along his interests, not only to his college students, but to recent Russian & Chinese immigrants in the Carrollton area and to middle and high school students in a mentoring program.

Floyd was a member of the Phi Alpha theta, the History Honor Fraternity, the US Naval Institute & the Chinese Gourmet Club. A board member of the University’s Foundation, and a recipient of its Outstanding Professor Emeritus Award.

Information from Daughter, Marilyn Hoskins
1993 SLC Reunion