Buck Hoban

John Joseph 'Buck' Hoban, 78, of North Platte, died Monday, November 19, 2018, at Great Plains Health after a long, brave fight with pancreatic cancer.

Buck was born November 5, 1940, at Stapleton, Nebraska, to William and Lillian Hoban. He grew up in North Platte and graduated from North Platte High School with the Class of 1958. While in high school he worked for Birdwood Products then hired on as a Fireman-Oiler with the Union Pacific Railroad after graduating.

In February of 1959 Buck joined the U.S. Navy. He served on the U.S.S. Carpenter and was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Japan, China and the Philippines. Buck was honorably discharged from the Navy in February 1963 then moved to Washington where he worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He later went to work for Northwestern Bell, which eventually became U.S. West, and retired from there after 31 years as a network technician.

Buck loved his black labs and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He fished Buoy 10 at the mouth of the Colombia River and the Pacific Ocean at Newport, Oregon for over 35 years, loving every minute of it.

On May 25, 1974, Buck married Patricia Ann Cleveland in Houston, Texas and adopted John Patrick Cleveland on December 8, 1978. The family made their home in Longview, Washington until 1998 when they moved back to North Platte.

Buck was a life member of B.P.O. Elks and the N.R.A. as well as a member of Ducks Unlimited and the Coastal Conservation Association. He was an excellent dancer and loved line dancing.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Lillian Hoban; brothers, William 'Ron', Morris 'Moe' and Fay Hoban; sister, Helen Rogers; sisters-in-law, Debra Hail and Shirley Hoban; brother-in-law, Dick Lee; and in-laws, Orel L. and Lois Blair.

Buck is survived by his wife, Patricia, and son, John Patrick Hoban, of North Platte; sisters Gwendolyn (Billy) Golden, of North Platte and Dorothy 'Jodi' Lee, of Pullman, Washington; brothers, Terrance 'Terry' (Anna) Hoban, of Maxwell and Francis 'Andy' (Markieta) Hoban, of Lewellen; sisters-in-law, Marolyn Hoban and Patricia F. Hoban, both of North Platte; and numerous brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and other family as well as his many friends.

Cremation was chosen. Graveside Memorial Service with Military Honors will be 10 a.m. Friday, November 23, 2018, at Fort McPherson National Cemetery with Chaplain Gary Smith officiating. Casual dress is requested for the service. In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established for pancreatic cancer research or the Class of '58 Scholarship Fund. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements.