Barbara Ann Hoskins

Barbara Ann Hoskins, age 92, of Kingsport, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 12, 2024, at Brookdale Senior Living Community.  She was born on March 12, 1931, the only child of Edgar Elmore Stone and Beatrix Flenniken Stone. 

Barbara graduated from Knoxville High School in 1949 and from The University of Tennessee in 1953.  During this time, a young engineering master’s student by the name of Louis Hoskins invited her to a picnic social, and the rest is history. Barbara and Louis fell in love and were married in June of 1953. Barbara was working for the city bookmobile at the time of her marriage and continued to work there until the couple moved to Kingsport for Louis to begin his career as a mechanical engineer at Tennessee Eastman. 

Louis and Barbara raised four children in Kingsport.  In addition to raising the family and managing the household, Barbara took part in AAUW, the local garden club, two bridge clubs, and later a book club.  At age 40, Barbara took tennis lessons and became an avid tennis player for the next 40+ years.  She enjoyed staying active.  She was committed to her daily regimen of calisthenics (even in the tent on family camping trips) and to her regular neighborhood walks several times a week.  She loved the Smokies, and she and Louis frequented their favorite trails, usually enjoying a stack of pancakes at the Gatlinburg Pancake Pantry before they hit the trail.  Barbara loved the wildflowers of the Smokies and was proficient in calling them by name.  Her love of travel and the outdoors took her to many places across the country and abroad.  She was especially proud of the 17-mile trek she and Louis completed to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in their retirement years. She and Louis were avid Vols fans, attending football games together for close to five decades. For many years, they also belonged to a monthly supper club of special friends who met together for food and laughter. 

Barbara was an active volunteer with Meals on Wheels, Friends of the Library, and First Baptist Church where she served as a deacon and as the church librarian for 35 years.  

Barbara will be remembered for her dry wit, her kindness, her appreciation of nature, and her generosity toward her children and grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 47 years.  

She is survived by her four children, Lucy Duke, Mary Anne Hoskins, Jeffrey Hoskins (Medora), Beth Joyner (Curtis); seven grandchildren, Brandon Joyner (Christy), Benjamin Joyner (Sara), Beau Joyner, Tom Jewell (Sharon), Marjorie Peraza (David), Jesse Hoskins, Kyra Power (Cory); two great grandchildren, Mia Joyner, Elijah Power.

The family will receive friends from 12:00pm – 2:00pm on Thursday, January 18, 2024 at First Baptist Church, Kingsport.  A celebration of life will follow.  

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Barbara’s memory to Habitat for Humanity of Kingsport (100 Greenwood Ln, Kingsport, TN 37663) or First Baptist Church of Kingsport (200 W Church Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660).