MARY SUSAN HOSTETLER passed Monday, May 18, 2009, at the age of 62. Known to her friends and family as "Susie," she grew up in Rialto, went to Henry Elementary school on East Etiwanda, graduated from Eisenhower in '64, and then took off for the adventures of youth. She graduated from Stanford in '72 and became a teacher, retiring from Highland Elementary in Riverside after over 30 years of teaching. Throughout her career Ms. Hostetler bestowed her knowledge on countless young lives. She was an activist and a lover of righteousness, people, and animals. She was active in the Congregational Church in Rialto and lived in the same home she grew up in.
I managed to catch up with Suzie in 2006. She was having trouble with her health then and spent her remaining years close to her home. She will be missed.
Such a loss of great talent. I literally grew up with Susie, living directly across the street from the Hostetler family and my mother became great friends with Annette, Susie's mother. The two of them could be seen most mornings sitting together talking about the neighborhood "happenings" as they were in the 50s and 60s. I cannot remember who moved into the Cornell Circle first, but it seems like we were always there. My father built our home after removing the orange trees, you see back then, Rialto pretty stopped above Foothill, as the area was a very large orange grove. Baseline was a street, but in '53 it cut through very large orange groves. Well we settled into our new home in '54 and it seems like the Hostetler family was there from the begining. Susie and I were the same age so of course the parents made many decisions that were not to be. Susie and I actually tried dating, once, unfortunately it happened to be the night when Robert Kennedy died, and as good democrats who envisioned a new beginning we were once again disappointed and quite upset, not the atmosphere in which to start a budding romance. For reasons long lost, we never officially dated again. Our relationship was desstined to be that of friend and when necessary a good solid shoulder to cry on as we both witnessed the loss of our dear parents. Susie and I lost contact wtih each other after the death of my mother in 1993, for it wasn't long after that I moved back to Savannah, Georgia where I remain today. Sadly, I was not even aware of Susie's death until my sister mentioned it in passing during a phone conversation. Even today I often get lost in those years on Cornell St. - for it was truely a street you would expect Ozzie and Harriet or the Bev to live on. Yes, my mother wore a dress to cook in, and yes she made a new dessert every night, but more than that. I can remember leaving on vacation for three weeks and never locking the doors when we left. Upon our return, the neighbors had placed a very large banner across the front porch that read "Welcome Home Josi's" and my father was estatic, because the neighbor's or neighbor had filled his outdoor refrigator with his favorite beer. Every Saturday night was a block party that seemed to start and end at a place unkown, it never really stopped, it was just put on hold early Sunday morining and resumed the following Saturday night. No major planning, no well you buy the hamburgers and I will buy the steaks, everybody just showed up in the the middle of the street in front of our house and once again, the party continued. Most of us kids, Susie included, would raid the booze bootles and replace the missing booze with water thinking our parents would never notice. Ahhh but they did, and during the week we were all properly admonished, that was until the next weekend, I still believe they really did not care as long as we were home and not out driving - that was the neighborhood that Susie and I grew up in, through elementry school at Henry were we would walk each morining and afternoon. Then on to Rialtlo Jr. High, a longer walk but still an easy walk when the weather permitted, and eventually to Eisenhower, by which time Susie was a true scholar and I, well I was once recognuzed as the only member of our "club" to not open one textbook during the entire semester - what does that tell you. I guess you could call me a late bloomer. Susie, we miss ya, all of those plesant days growing up together.
Like you my dad bought a piece of an orange grove and built our house in 1951 on south riverside ave.
Met Susie H. and Susie K (kingrey) in jr. high when north and south Rialto kids came together. Still see Susie K. when ever i'm in San Berdo.........................mike zenft
Cameron Monk
MARY SUSAN HOSTETLER passed Monday, May 18, 2009, at the age of 62. Known to her friends and family as "Susie," she grew up in Rialto, went to Henry Elementary school on East Etiwanda, graduated from Eisenhower in '64, and then took off for the adventures of youth. She graduated from Stanford in '72 and became a teacher, retiring from Highland Elementary in Riverside after over 30 years of teaching. Throughout her career Ms. Hostetler bestowed her knowledge on countless young lives. She was an activist and a lover of righteousness, people, and animals. She was active in the Congregational Church in Rialto and lived in the same home she grew up in.
I managed to catch up with Suzie in 2006. She was having trouble with her health then and spent her remaining years close to her home. She will be missed.
Cam Monk
Don Josi
Such a loss of great talent. I literally grew up with Susie, living directly across the street from the Hostetler family and my mother became great friends with Annette, Susie's mother. The two of them could be seen most mornings sitting together talking about the neighborhood "happenings" as they were in the 50s and 60s. I cannot remember who moved into the Cornell Circle first, but it seems like we were always there. My father built our home after removing the orange trees, you see back then, Rialto pretty stopped above Foothill, as the area was a very large orange grove. Baseline was a street, but in '53 it cut through very large orange groves. Well we settled into our new home in '54 and it seems like the Hostetler family was there from the begining. Susie and I were the same age so of course the parents made many decisions that were not to be. Susie and I actually tried dating, once, unfortunately it happened to be the night when Robert Kennedy died, and as good democrats who envisioned a new beginning we were once again disappointed and quite upset, not the atmosphere in which to start a budding romance. For reasons long lost, we never officially dated again. Our relationship was desstined to be that of friend and when necessary a good solid shoulder to cry on as we both witnessed the loss of our dear parents. Susie and I lost contact wtih each other after the death of my mother in 1993, for it wasn't long after that I moved back to Savannah, Georgia where I remain today. Sadly, I was not even aware of Susie's death until my sister mentioned it in passing during a phone conversation. Even today I often get lost in those years on Cornell St. - for it was truely a street you would expect Ozzie and Harriet or the Bev to live on. Yes, my mother wore a dress to cook in, and yes she made a new dessert every night, but more than that. I can remember leaving on vacation for three weeks and never locking the doors when we left. Upon our return, the neighbors had placed a very large banner across the front porch that read "Welcome Home Josi's" and my father was estatic, because the neighbor's or neighbor had filled his outdoor refrigator with his favorite beer. Every Saturday night was a block party that seemed to start and end at a place unkown, it never really stopped, it was just put on hold early Sunday morining and resumed the following Saturday night. No major planning, no well you buy the hamburgers and I will buy the steaks, everybody just showed up in the the middle of the street in front of our house and once again, the party continued. Most of us kids, Susie included, would raid the booze bootles and replace the missing booze with water thinking our parents would never notice. Ahhh but they did, and during the week we were all properly admonished, that was until the next weekend, I still believe they really did not care as long as we were home and not out driving - that was the neighborhood that Susie and I grew up in, through elementry school at Henry were we would walk each morining and afternoon. Then on to Rialtlo Jr. High, a longer walk but still an easy walk when the weather permitted, and eventually to Eisenhower, by which time Susie was a true scholar and I, well I was once recognuzed as the only member of our "club" to not open one textbook during the entire semester - what does that tell you. I guess you could call me a late bloomer. Susie, we miss ya, all of those plesant days growing up together.
With Great Respect
Don Josi
Mike Zenft
Well said, Don.
Like you my dad bought a piece of an orange grove and built our house in 1951 on south riverside ave.
Met Susie H. and Susie K (kingrey) in jr. high when north and south Rialto kids came together. Still see Susie K. when ever i'm in San Berdo.........................mike zenft