Funeral for Hubert H. Hoosman Jr. set for Monday, July 10

A visitation service will be held Sunday, July 9 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Austin Layne Funeral Home, 7733 Natural Bridge Rd. in St. Louis (63121) for highly respected civic and business leader Hubert H. Hoosman Jr., who was killed in an early-morning head-on collision in Spanish Lake on Monday, July 3. An Omega Service takes place at 4:30 p.m. during the visitation. Hoosman was 60 years old.

On Monday, July 10, a 10 a.m. Connecting Links service will take place before the funeral, which begins at 11 a.m. at Union Memorial United Methodist Church, 1141 Belt St. in St. Louis (63112). Hoosman will be buried at Sunset Gardens of Memory Cemetery in Millstadt, Illinois.

“He was a remarkable person who made a major footprint in both the civic and financial community here in St. Louis,” his nephew, John Gaskin III, said. “He was dedicated entirely to supporting and sustaining the black business community.”

Hubert Hula Hoosman Jr. was born January 7, 1957 in St. Louis to Helen Andrews Hoosman and Hubert H. Hoosman Sr. He graduated in 1975 from East St. Louis Senior High School, where he was widely noted as a star scholar athlete. During his high school basketball career, he played on a state championship team. Hoosman attended the University of Missouri St. Louis (UMSL) on a basketball scholarship. During his time at UMSL, he broke many records as a basketball standout and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

For 19 years, Hoosman served as president/CEO of Vantage Credit Union, which is Missouri’s fourth largest credit union with current assets exceeding $700 million. Hoosman began his career in 1982 when the total assets of the credit union were $34 million with three branch locations.  During his tenure, the credit union developed a branch network of 15 locations in Missouri and Illinois.

The development of the Vantage Credit Union Branch network gave Hoosman an extensive hands-on experience with commercial property acquisitions, sales, renovation, demolition and new construction. All branches deployed through Vantage Credit Union’s Strategic Branch Plan are open, functioning and profitable. During Hoosman’s time as head of Vantage, he worked to establish the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) where he was an active member. Through AACUC he traveled to Africa to establish credit unions to provide Africans with access to affordable banking and financial literacy resources.

Hoosman was a premiere advocate for UMSL, where he served as a member and chairman of the Alumni Board, the Chancellor’s Council and the Black Alumni Association. He was also inducted into the UMSL Basketball Hall of Fame. Hoosman was instrumental in establishing the Marguerite Ross Barnett Scholarship Fund and erecting a statue in her honor, in recognition of the University’s first African-American chancellor. Hoosman also raised over $1 million from across the nation to help fund the Martin Luther King, Jr, national memorial in Washington, D.C.

“His generosity was as large as his commitment to helping other people,” his longtime friend Al Parks said. “He was just a good guy with a very big heart. His passion in life was helping other people.”

In December 2009, he married the love of his life, Estella Andreal Haywood. He and his wife often traveled together and were active jointly in a variety of community initiatives and organizations.

As business partners, the Hoosmans founded Haywood Hoosman Realty and H&H Brokerage Group, a minority-owned business headquartered in Old Town Ferguson. As a commercial real estate consultant, Hoosman was passionate about providing African Americans with homeownership opportunities and access to financial literacy.

Hoosman was a member of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, St. Louis Real Estate Association, Commercial Real Estate Information Exchange, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., St. Louis County NAACP, Union Memorial United Methodist Church, The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, The Regional Business Council, and a host of other worthy national and local organizations.

Hoosman is survived by his wife, Estella Andreal Haywood Hoosman; mother-in-law, Esther Haywood; children, Camille (DeQuiency) Dangerfield, Hubert H. Hoosman, III, Lyndon Gray, Elise Gray, and Langston Gray; grandchildren, Ava Renee Hoosman, Ivory Canes, Makenzie Dangerfield, and Julani Gray; siblings, Rosa Truewell, Hulas (Linda) King, Douglas (Elva) King, Dorene Hoosman, Anita (Charles, Sr.) McDonald, Mitchell King, Lolesia Jackson, Lee Ola (Alan) Johnson, Gwendolyn (Kyle) Jones; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

“His wife, Andreal and his entire family would like to thank everyone for their generosity, thoughts, prayers and condolences during what seems to be the most difficult time in our lives to date,” Gaskin added. “With your prayers and support, we know that brighter days are ahead.”