Matthew L Hostak's Obituary
Matthew Lowell Hostak died July 23,2023 in Oshkosh, WI of cancer. He was born on November 11, 1962 to Jack and Gloria Hostak in St. Joseph, MI. In 1964, he moved with his family to Rochester, MN. After graduating with honors from Mayo High School in 1981, Matt enlisted in the Armed Forces. He served in the U.S. Army two years active duty in Germany, and ten years reserves stateside. Upon discharge from active duty, Matt attended the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire on the G.I.Bill and a collection of baseball cards. He graduated in 1989 with honors with a B.S. in Hydrology, with a secondary emphasis in Geology.
Matt's first and only job out of college was with the State of Wisconsin - Department of Natural Resources.
His most recent position before disability had been that of Air Pollution Engineer. In recent years, he was a frequent volunteer at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.
Matt was a true Renaissance Man, and a bit of an iconoclast. He could fix or make anything he set his mind to, with skill, intellect and improvisational thinking. He championed critical thinking.
Books and magazines were Matt's constant companions: he was a voracious reader. Though his interests were unlimited, he was especially taken with books about life on other planets, spirituality, the supernatural, construction, history and science.
Matt's hobbies over the years included scuba diving, furniture building, salvaging and rehabbing houses, historic Oshkosh, and most recently, privy digging with his friend Bob Bergman. Bob showed Matt the ropes of digging pits at the sites of old outhouses, and he amassed quite the collection of antique bottles and other ephemera of the past.
Most of all, Matt was a kind, generous, and loving soul. Matt never met a stranger and had friends from all walks of life. His Bright Light will forever shine in everyone he touched. He was also quite a cat lover and cared for a passel of cats over the years.
Matt was preceded in death by his dear sister Julie, who died unexpectedly of natural causes on March 30,2022. He is survived by his loving parents, Jack and Gloria Hostak, cherished brothers Chris Hostak and John M. (Diane) Hostak, fond nephew John C. Hostak (partner Olivia Silva), and beloved longtime friend Laura Ann Day.
A private family service will take place at the time of interment at the family cemetery in Kewaunee, WI. Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Poverello Fund, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55902, which goes to help people afford medical care. Also, St. Croix Hospice, 93 S. Pioneer Rd., Ste 100, Fond du Lac, WI 54935.
See you on the other side, Matt.
What’s your fondest memory of Matthew?
What’s a lesson you learned from Matthew?
Share a story where Matthew's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Matthew you’ll never forget.
How did Matthew make you smile?