A Man named Hoss

Soon after I started my blog ‘Past Imperfect’, over three years ago, I got the following comment from Hoss aka Old Horsetail Snake aka Gene Maudlin:

‘I was here, Ms. Perfect. And will return. You must be pretty close to my age bracket (I'm 75+).’ Jan 16 2006


Hoss was always kind and helpful to new bloggers and I was one of a large number in his thrall. Of course I visited his blog and was hooked and intrigued by his humour and unusual story. He was in an old folk’s home with his wife who later opted for an assisted suicide, which is legal in Oregon where Hoss lived. Hoss wrote most movingly about his wife and many bloggers wrote to express their sympathy.

Then he was re-united with his previous wife Sylvia or Scamp, mother of his children, left the old folks home and they set up home together. This was a life affirming love story and although he had been given a negative prognosis, together they made his last years happy and fulfilling, travelling to Hawaii in spite of all the medical paraphernalia he required as his illness progressed. Throughout Hoss wrote brilliant laugh-out loud posts and until recently carried on visiting all his many followers.

On March 7th Hoss, now in a hospice, chose to use Oregon’s Death with Dignity. My deepest sympathy to Sylvia, Hoss’s children and family and all who loved him.

May he rest in peace.
Lowell Gene Maudlin
1930 - 2009


His good friend Vicki - A Mark on my Wall - http://amarkonmywall.wordpress.com/ has written more fully about Hoss and his correspondence with her, which is well worth reading, as are Hoss’s archives at http://oldhorsetailsnake.blogspot.com/