Family, Friends Mourn Death of Publisher Greg Hoskins

By Pamela Rensing

heraldpubs.com

MASCOUTAH – Newspaper publisher Greg Hoskins, 67, of Mascoutah passed away at his home on Thursday, May 30. At the time of his death, he owned and operated four daily newspapers, 35 weeklies, five magazines, and seven radio stations throughout Illinois and Missouri. This includes a regional press plant in Altamont, IL.

Greg was born Oct. 25, 1956, in Streator, IL. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Mascoutah, a member of the Mascoutah Improvement Association, and an avid coin collector.   

He had several passions in life. First and foremost was his family: wife, Linda, who he married on April 25, 1981; his three children, Emily (Cody Campbell) Hoskins of Nashville, TN, Scott Hoskins of Belleville, IL, Mark (Kailee Ranes-Hoskins) Hoskins of Altamont, IL; and his four grandchildren, Serenity, Barrett, Harper, and Oliver. 

His sons, Scott and Mark Hoskins, hold management positions within Herald Publications/Better Newspapers Inc. Greg’s wife, Linda, is supporter of the family-owned business. Their daughter Emily is a Pediatric Therapist in Nashville, TN.

His second passion was his love of the newspaper industry. He was a strong advocate of the written word and how newspapers supported local communities in continued growth.  

In May 1991, Greg and his financial partner Cleon Birkemeyer purchased the Mascoutah Herald, Scott Flier, Clinton County News, and Fairview Heights Tribunes out of bankruptcy court from Rube Yelvington. That one leap of faith led Greg through years of reporting on a multitude of community triumphs as well as heartbreaks.

“Greg Hoskins’s passing was a huge loss for Mascoutah. Not only the owner/publisher of the Herald, but also numerous other newspapers, radio & tv stations,” said Mascoutah Mayor Pat McMahan. “Greg’s passion was publishing and his grandchildren. He was active in the community, passing out balloons at Springfest, serving on the Mascoutah Improvement Association board, past Rotary President, and taking entry fees at the truck and tractor pulls at Homecoming. He always served as MC at any election candidate forum. We want to express our deepest sympathy to his wife Linda and the whole family. He will be missed by many!”

Former Mascoutah Mayor Jerry Daugherty remarked, “I, like everyone else, was shocked when I heard of Greg’s passing. Greg was a good friend. We were involved in many things together.

“As a fellow Rotarian, Greg may have been responsible for ‘saving Rotary’ when we acted on his idea to move our meetings from evening to noon because the evening attendance was getting very low. This was a really bold move because the Rotary Club had met in the evening for over 70 years. Greg was always full of new ideas, and heavily involved in events and community service (namely the MIA, as well as others). 

“During my tenure as Mayor of Mascoutah, I was very proud and fortunate to have a great working relationship with Greg and the Mascoutah Herald staff – that’s not always the case in many cities and towns,” Daugherty added. “Sylvia and I enjoyed several Super Bowls with Greg and Linda in their home. Greg will be missed! Sylvia and I extend our condolences to Linda and the Hoskins family.”

Being a newspaper publisher was not only a balancing act between editorial and business, it was a responsibility that wasn’t always popular nor easy.

Former editor Gene Isbell remembered that Greg always had his back on story selection and coverage in the city.  “I reported on several controversial events at City Hall that were not always well received by city leaders,” said Isbell.  “Greg never once asked me to kill a story, though he often received an earful from folks around town about the Herald’s reporting on news of the day.  I always appreciated that backing.  He understood the newspaper’s First Amendment role in giving voice to citizens and keeping them informed about their government.  

“His passing is a sad day for our community and for the long list of Herald alumni who worked there over the years.  My condolences to his family, Linda, Emily, Scott, and Mark, all of whom I worked with over the years.”

Greg’s third passion was his love of traveling the world with his wife, Linda, visiting 26 countries and six continents. Each trip offered him the opportunity to experience different cultures and explore their history. He wanted to see and feel the traditions of each country. That included tasting unusual food dishes that he would often describe in great detail to his staff when he returned to the office. They were incredibly grateful he did not bring back samples for them to try.

Greg Hoskin’s zest for life and his ceaseless strive towards fulfilling his dreams will never be forgotten.  To Linda, Emily, Scott, and Mark…the Herald Publications/Better Newspapers Inc. employees offer their heartfelt condolences at this sad time.

Visitation was held on Monday, June 3, at Moll Funeral Home in Mascoutah.  A private funeral service was held on Tuesday, June 4, at Zion Lutheran Church in Mascoutah.

In lieu of all other gifts, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P. O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908, or Zion Lutheran Church, 101 S. Railway, Mascoutah, IL 62258.  Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting mollfuneralhome.com.