Leonard "Hoss" Ingalls

Leonard (Hoss) Ingalls was born in Hawthorne, Nevada on October 11, 1945 to Nevada Guisti Ingalls & Lyle Ingalls. He was the youngest of 6 children. His parents divorced when he was young, and he was raised by his dad Barnard (Barney) Holmes.

His mother passed in 1961, and he went to live with his sister Lilly in Red Oak, Iowa.  Soon after, he went to Las Vegas to live with his brother Danny and his wife Joanne Harris. In 1963, he joined the US Army and was sent to Ft. Leonard Wood, Kansas for basic training then to Germany he went. He was honorably discharged and returned to Hawthorne, Nevada in 1969. In 1970, he moved to Idaho, where he has resided ever since.

In 1968, he married Debbie Mayer in Hawthorne; they had a daughter, Karrie Lynn in 1969.  They later divorced and he met his soon to be life partner.  In 1977, he married Catherine Lawson, and gained another daughter, Barbara Lea.  In 2020 he finally got a son, Joseph Haight. Although he only had three children, he was known as “dad” or “grandpa” to anyone who walked through those front doors with his kids and grandkids.  

He worked at Kraft Foods in Rupert for 30+ years. He then tried his hand at truck driving for Idaho Milk. He began driving bus for Head start in Rupert where he found what he loved. He then drove bus for Minidoka County Schools until October 2018 when he retired, not by his choice. The staff became his second family as well as the children he drove.

He spent many years playing country music around the southern Idaho area. People came from far and wide to hear him and the band play. Our home was always filled with music and his love for it was passed onto his children and grandchildren.  Leonard also loved camping and fishing and just overall adventuring.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Cathy of Rupert, his daughter Karrie (Jeff) Hamilton of Richfield, his daughter Barbara (Robert) Thornton of Declo, and his Son Joe (Mica) Haight of Everton, WA.,17 grandchildren,  15 Great grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren… Many nieces and nephews, who he loved as his own kids, and his brother and sister-in-law Don and Martha Lawson of Twin Falls.

He was preceded in death by parents, his sisters Lilly and Hilda, his brothers Herbert, Jimmy and Danny, his nephews Danny and Aaron Harris, his in Laws, Lon & Retha Lawson, and his aunts and uncles and his grandparents.

Veterans Rites will start at 6:00 p.m. continuing with a viewing for friends and until 8:00 p.m. Saturday, March 20, 2021 at Hansen Mortuary. Services are under the  direction of Joel Heward Hansen Mortuary.

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