Obituary- DAVID ALBERT HOCKENSMITH The Rev. David Albert Hockensmith passed away Sunday, July 19, 2026 after a brief illness. Born April 14, 1941 in Indianapolis, he was the son of Harold George and Louise Lane Hockensmith. Reared there, he attended Pike High School, graduating as salutatorian. He graduated cum laude from Wabash College where he was president of Lambda Chi Alpha social fraternity and Eta Sigma Phi classics honorary. He then received a B.D. degree cum laude from Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Later he received a M.A. degree in English literature from Butler University.

On July 9, 1966, Mr. Hockensmith married Stephanie Claire Duke in Rock Springs Congregational Church, Arlington, Virginia. The Right Rev. John P. Craine, Episcopal Bishop of Indianapolis officiated. Mr. and Mrs. Hockensmith had recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Also in 1966, The Rev. Mr. Hockensmith was ordained to the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church and accepted a call as a curate of St. Paul's Church, Indianapolis. Subsequently, he served as assistant minister at St. Luke's Church, Scranton, Pennsylvania; as rector of St. Peter's Church, Smyrna, Delaware; St. Peter's Church, Hazleton Pennsylvania, and St. Mark's Church, Frankford, Philadelphia. While in the Diocese of Pennsylvania, Mr. Hockensmith chaired the Planning Commission, served as Dean of Pennypack Deanery and was on the Commission on Ministry. He served as Chairman of the Board of the Philadelphia Protestant Home, a large continuing care retirement community. Upon retirement, he was designated Rector Emeritus of St. Mark's Church. In 1999, his wife and he retired to Morgan, VT.

Mr. Hockensmith was active in a number of civic and genealogical groups during his lifetime including, in various communities, Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary and Optimist clubs. While in Philadelphia, he was President of the Philadelphia Continental Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, then the largest chapter in the nation with over five hundred members. He subsequently served as President of the Vermont Society, Vice President General of the New England District, and Chaplain General and Inspector General of the National Society. He was presented the Minuteman award, the highest recognition of the Society. Mr. Hockensmith served as Prior of the New England Priory of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (Templars). He received two of the Order's highest honors, the Order of Merit and Grand Croix. Central to the Order's Mission is support of Christians in the Holy Land. He served as chaplain to a number of organizations: the Society of Colonial Wars in Vermont, the Massachusetts Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (descendants of Union officers), the Sons of the Revolution in Massachusetts; the New Hampshire Society of the National Huguenot Society; and the Vermont Society SAR. He was also a member of the Sons of American Colonists, the St. Andrew's Society of Vermont, the Massachusetts Society of the War of 1812, Descendants of Indiana Pioneers and Clan MacLellan. Mr. Hockensmith was a member of the Union Club of Boston.

While in Morgan, he was founding President of the Morgan Historical Society and chair of the Morgan Republican Caucus. He often conducted services at Christ Church, Stanstead, Quebec. He supplied at St. Peter's Church, Lyndonville, and was a friend of the Brownington Congregational Church UCC where his wife was a member. Since retiring, his wife and he have travelled extensively to all continents except Antarctica.

In 2023, Mr. and Mrs. Hockensmith moved to Covenant Living in Keene, NH to be near their son's family. They retain property on Lake Parker in West Glover, VT, where they spent the summers.

The Rev. David A. Hockensmith was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife Stephanie Duke, his children George Jeremy Hockensmith, Esq. and his wife Genienne Mongno Hockensmith, his daughter Sylvia Louise and her husband Christopher Thames, and by his grandchildren Hunter Duke and Benjamin Finn Hockensmith and Ethan David Thames.

Services will be held at the convenience of the family. Please omit flowers. On-line condolences are welcome at curtis-britch.com.  Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home, & Cremation Service, locally family owned and operated.