Basil A. 'Arthur' Hostage Jr.
d. September 15, 2016
Basil A. 'Arthur' Hostage Jr.
CHESHIRE - Arthur Hostage, 91, passed away peacefully in his sleep Thursday, September 15, 2016 at home in Cheshire. He was the husband of Joy (Waldau) Hostage.
Basil Arthur Hostage was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 16, 1925, the son of Basil Arthur Hostage, Sr. and Grace Doris (Sengstacke) Hostage. He grew up with his family in Garden City, Long Island. He became an Eagle Scout and graduated from Garden City High School in 1941; later that year he entered Yale University at the age of 16. He joined the U.S. Army in February 1943 and was part of the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). Then he went to Europe as part of an anti-aircraft artillery unit in George S. Patton’s Third Army. He served on a security detail in the April 1945 liberation of Ohrdruf, a concentration camp in central Germany and the first to be liberated by the U.S. Army. Upon his release from the Army in 1946, he returned to Yale (Pearson College) and received his degree in economics in 1948.
Arthur married the former Joy Sandmann Waldau in 1950 and they moved to Cheshire in 1952. He was a founding partner in 1953 of Advanced Products Co. (APCO), a manufacturer of seals and gaskets for extreme environments based in North Haven. APCO grew into an international company with over 150 employees; Arthur served as Executive Vice President until his retirement. For over 60 years, Arthur was a member of the First Congregational Church in Cheshire, serving on the Board of Music and other committees. Throughout his many years in Cheshire, he served the town as chairman of the Economic Development Commission as well as the Friends of the Library and as Town Historian. He and his wife spent over 60 summers at Big Moose Lake in New York; he was a trustee of the Big Moose Community Chapel and sang in the choir. He was also a member of the Canoe Club.
Besides his wife of 65 years, Mr. Hostage is survived by four sons, Basil and his wife Victoria of Lingen, Germany, David and his wife Susan of Cheshire, Mark of Cheshire, and Eric and his wife Laura of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and five grandchildren, Christopher, Jessica, Andrew, Hunter, and Maximilian.
Arrangements – A Memorial service will be held on Sunday, September 25 at 2:00 PM at the First Congregational Church of Cheshire, 111 Church Drive. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family and there will be no calling hours. Memorial contributions may be made to the Memorial Music Fund of the First Congregational Church or to the Cheshire Friends of
the Library, 104 Main Street. The Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire is assisting with arrangements.
Basil Arthur Hostage was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 16, 1925, the son of Basil Arthur Hostage, Sr. and Grace Doris (Sengstacke) Hostage. He grew up with his family in Garden City, Long Island. He became an Eagle Scout and graduated from Garden City High School in 1941; later that year he entered Yale University at the age of 16. He joined the U.S. Army in February 1943 and was part of the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). Then he went to Europe as part of an anti-aircraft artillery unit in George S. Patton’s Third Army. He served on a security detail in the April 1945 liberation of Ohrdruf, a concentration camp in central Germany and the first to be liberated by the U.S. Army. Upon his release from the Army in 1946, he returned to Yale (Pearson College) and received his degree in economics in 1948.
Arthur married the former Joy Sandmann Waldau in 1950 and they moved to Cheshire in 1952. He was a founding partner in 1953 of Advanced Products Co. (APCO), a manufacturer of seals and gaskets for extreme environments based in North Haven. APCO grew into an international company with over 150 employees; Arthur served as Executive Vice President until his retirement. For over 60 years, Arthur was a member of the First Congregational Church in Cheshire, serving on the Board of Music and other committees. Throughout his many years in Cheshire, he served the town as chairman of the Economic Development Commission as well as the Friends of the Library and as Town Historian. He and his wife spent over 60 summers at Big Moose Lake in New York; he was a trustee of the Big Moose Community Chapel and sang in the choir. He was also a member of the Canoe Club.
Besides his wife of 65 years, Mr. Hostage is survived by four sons, Basil and his wife Victoria of Lingen, Germany, David and his wife Susan of Cheshire, Mark of Cheshire, and Eric and his wife Laura of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and five grandchildren, Christopher, Jessica, Andrew, Hunter, and Maximilian.
Arrangements – A Memorial service will be held on Sunday, September 25 at 2:00 PM at the First Congregational Church of Cheshire, 111 Church Drive. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family and there will be no calling hours. Memorial contributions may be made to the Memorial Music Fund of the First Congregational Church or to the Cheshire Friends of
the Library, 104 Main Street. The Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire is assisting with arrangements.
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