Arthur ‘Jay’ Hobbs
Longtime Hood River Valley resident Arthur “Jay” Hobbs passed away April 5, 2008, at Hawks Ridge Assisted Living facility in Hood River, surrounded by his loving wife of 63 years, Violet, his children and his guardian angels, Heart of Hospice nurses, at his side. Jay was 81 years of age.
A public celebration of Jay’s life will be held at the Hawks Ridge facility Saturday, April 26, at 2 p.m., led by Celebrant speaker and longtime family friend Bob Huskey. Friends are asked to bring a special memory of Jay to share.
Jay was one of six children born to Arthur and Mabel Hobbs on July 15, 1926, in Rush Center, Kansas. He was raised and educated in Kansas, moving with his family to Missouri and Colorado.
While attending church in Eaton, Colo., Jay met a young lady by the name of Violet Cecil. He and Violet were married on Jan. 23, 1945. At that time, Jay worked for a local beanery.
Shortly after their marriage, both Jay and Vi went to work for a local dairy farm where their jobs were driving the big John Deere tractors. As their family grew they eventually moved to Greeley, Colo., to work in the sugar factories.
While living in Greeley, the Hobbs family had their own saw mill. The entire family played a role in the operation of the mill, even skidding logs with a team of horses.
Their next move was to Palisades, Colo., working in the peach industry and where Jay first started working for the Colorado Carpenters Union. They had made numerous trips out West to visit family and work in fruit industry of the Hood River Valley before eventually settling here with their three children in 1965.
Jay started working as a security watchman, eventually working construction through the Union Hall. Jay stayed active in the Carpentry Union in both Colorado and Oregon, retiring after 45½ years of service.
During his Union Carpentry career Jay worked on The John Day, The Dalles and Bonneville dams, and the aluminum plant in The Dalles; Spring Creek Fish Hatchery, and the Odell plants and cold storage units of Diamond Fruit and Duckwall.
Jay’s lifelong hobbies included music, fishing and hunting. He loved to trap with his hounds and once trapped a black bear which was later relocated to the Portland Zoo.
Jay also loved woodworking, reading old westerns by Louis L’Amour, playing pinochle and cribbage (and making you kiss the skunk’s tail), treasure (JUNK) hunting at flea markets and garage sales, family gatherings, making up songs, playing his banjo and bantar, listening to his grandchildren sing along, dueling banjos with his son, and having two desserts!
Jay was especially passionate about two things: his wife, Violet, and sweets!
Jay was preceded in death by his parents and five brothers and sisters. He is survived and will be dearly missed by his wife, Violet Hobbs, of Hood River; his daughter, Sharon Hobbs, of Mosier; sons and daughters-in-law Buck and Mary, of Hood River, and Rocky and Heather, of Odell.
Also surviving are his 10 grandchildren: Pam, Devin, Gary Jr. (J.R.), Carrie, Kyle, Theresa, Troy, Kelsey, Jake and Amy; his 11 great-grandchildren: Brittany, Joshua, Megan, Michelle, Taylor, Brandon, Tryston, Ethan, Brandi, Phillip and Courtney; and his great-great-granddaughter, Allyssandra (Ally).
Donations in memory of Jay Hobbs can be made to Heart of Hospice, 1020 Wasco St., Ste. C, Hood River, OR 97031.