Henry “Hank” Edgar Mosier was born in Crannell, California on January 4, 1930 – a former sawmill town settlement North of McKinleyville and South of Trinidad. The family later moved to Hoopa, where he attended the schools there acquired the carpentry skills that he later put to good use on the family house and barn.
After high school he served in the Navy, during the Korean war. One story he told was that he and his Navy buddies were craving for other food than what was on board. When they docked in Hawaii, they ate too much pineapple and milk and it went through them too fast. They never did that again, he said.
After the Navy, he returned to Hoopa and worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This is when he met his wife, Cora Polkenhorn, who also worked for the BIA. They were married in 1957. They adopted their first daughter after trying to have children of their own. Later they would be blessed with twins – a girl and a boy.
Hank was a heavy equipment operator working for the roads department. Over the years, he would talk about fun times he had with his coworkers. He retired from the BIA in 1986.
He enjoyed fishing, surf fishing, hunting, camping and making any kind of carpentry work that complemented his home. He crafted small items from anything and gave them to his wife on special occasions. She enjoyed receiving these gifts. One thing he could do was drawing. He didn’t practice that art very much but he could sketch with great skill.
He farmed at the family’s former home site that was destroyed by the ‘64 flood. He and his brother reconstructed the barn that they both used. He also had other fields to plant alfalfa. He later planted an orchard of apricots, nectarines and cherries. Many friends and relatives as well as his family enjoyed these fruits. This place was the much-enjoyed gathering place for his friends, and they sometimes spent hours there talking into the evening. The family, including his brothers and sisters, would also gather there on special occasions, such as Easter.
He joined the American Legion post #415 in Hoopa and participated in all of their activities. His wife would join the American Legion Auxiliary and together they would travel throughout Humboldt and Mendocino counties to attend their Legion meetings and special occasions.
Hank was an avid 49ers football fan. He and his wife would travel to San Francisco to watch them play. Once, in 1985, they were lucky to receive tickets from being longtime season ticket holders and they went to Superbowl XIX to watch the 49ers become Superbowl champions once again. His wife of 29 years would pass away in 1986, but Hank would continue to travel to San Francisco and see his favorite team. Over the years he would take many friends or his son with him, who all enjoyed the trip.
In his later years, he worked part-time, continued farming, and went on trips to meet with his old Navy buddies.
Hank passed away Sunday July 24, 2016. He was 86 years old, and a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
Hank is preceded in death by his sister in-law Ivadelle Mowery, daughter Vonda Mosier, niece LuAnn Mosier, sister in-law Henrietta Mosier, niece Carol McCovey, brother Ernest Mosier Jr., sister in-law Elizabeth Marjorie Castro, niece Michele Todacheeny, brother in-law William McCullough, brother Kenneth Wilder, nephew Thomas J. Mosier, his loving wife Cora Mosier, sister Esther McCullough, his father Ernest Mosier Sr., mother Lillian Mosier, grandmother Elizabeth Pete, grandfather James Jackson Sr., grandmother Mary Ann Jackson, and grandfather Henry M. Mosier.
Hank is survived by his children Gary Mosier and Cherie Mosier, grandchildren Ronda Heiser, Tasha Commick, Terry Davis Jr., Henry Davis, Elizabeth Davis, and William Davis, sister in-law Imogene Ryder, brother in-law Ed Polkenhorn, niece Jerry Ellen Toleson, nephew William “Buff” McCullough, niece Lori Billings, nephews Kevin and Jason Wilder, niece Angela Wilder, nephews William, Michael, David and Jeff Mowery, nephews Phillip and Joel Castro, niece Debra Goodwin, nephews Ed III and Stacy Polkenhorn, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Graveside service with military honors this Saturday July 30th at 10:00 a.m. Afterwards, everyone will meet at the Legion Hall in Hoopa, a place Hank enjoyed very much. In lieu of flowers, you may deposit donations at Coast Central Credit Union, POB 339, Hoopa, CA 95546 American Legion account #53489 S70.1.
Pall bearer: Jason Wilder. Honorary Bearers: Eddie Coleman, Ed Polkenhorn, Frank Starkey, Sergio Martinez, Kevin Wilder, Chad Wilder, Jared Wilder, William “Buff’ McCullough, Thomas Mosier, Dakota Mosier, William Davis, Henry Davis, Terry Davis, Terry Davis Jr. Ben Cervantes, Jarome Cervantes, Gabe Cervantes, Pat Jackson, Oscar “Tyke” Billings, Ed Masten, Wayne Grant, Clyde Moon, Melvin Marshall, Kim Conrad, Abraham Camez, Walt Lara, Hugh “Mac” McCullough, Mike McCurdy, Robby Moon, Zane Grant Sr. Zane “Chip” Grant Jr., Hank Masten, Thomas Masten, Raulf Durang.
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The obituary above was submitted by Hank Mosier’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
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