Jennie Ella Hosack

In Loving Memory of Jennie Ella Hosack

December 24, 1940 - April 20, 2025

With the heaviest of hearts, we announce the passing of Jennie Ella Hosack beloved mother, friend, educator, and community builder who abruptly left us on April 20, 2025.

As a young girl, she traveled to all 50 states with her cherished parents, Paul and Orpha Hosack. Those travels remained vivid in her memory, shared with a sense of wonder and joy. Their journeys across the country deepened her love for family and filled her life with lasting excitement.

Her legacy lives on in the heart of Lebanon, Kentucky, where she helped found the Marion County Country Ham Days festival in 1969. Though her pivotal role as the founder went unrecognized in the public record, an oversight all too common for women of her generation. She originated the concept, conceived the festival, and set its roots. Her fingerprints remain in the traditions and joy that Ham Days continue to bring.

A devoted mother to Tina and Chad, she raised her children with a foundation of moral strength, compassion, and love. She gave guidance and forgiveness time and again, offered hugs of mercy, and made countless sacrifices to ensure her children had every opportunity especially the gift of education, which she worked so hard to provide.

Her nurturing spirit extended beyond her family. Just as her parents had done, she dedicated over 40 years to educating children, giving generations of students the same care and compassion she gave the world.

She will be remembered for her warmth and the way she made others feel truly at home. Her presence was a quiet but powerful force. Though she's gone, her love endures in every life she touched.