Lawrence L. Hobart

Lawrence L. (Larry) Hobart, 90, died Saturday February 22, 2014 in Rockford, IL, recently returning here after residing many years in the state of Oregon. He was born January 15, 1924 to Paul T. and Agnes E. (Belshaw) Hobart in Roscoe, IL. He graduated from Hononegah High School and then later graduated from Northern Illinois State Teacher's College after serving in the Marine Corps at Pearl Harbor during WWII. He taught junior high for several years, then he obtained his Master's Degree from the University of Oregon. Following several more years of teaching, he went into the insurance business, real estate, and investments. Throughout his long and interesting life, he received much recognition for his achievements in many various areas, including poetry writing, Master Gardening, volunteering, education, civic, the Grange, and philanthropy. He was a large benefactor of the Arbor Day Foundation, Salvation Army, 4-H, Smile Train, and Union Gospel Mission of Salem, OR, as well as much other generosity. Larry was a world traveler, a curious man, and loved "collecting."
He is survived by a sister, Harriet Littlewood of Downey, CA., many nieces and nephews, and a sister-in-law, Rose Covert of Texas. He was twice widowed after marriages to Dorothy O'Hare (d. 1989) and Hattie Bundy (d. 2003). Larry, the youngest in the family, was known as "Uncle Babe" and was predeceased by his parents and siblings, Wallace Belshaw Hobart Sr., Mary Hobart, Jenny Alice Hartje, Pauline Elizabeth Hobart, and Florence Jeanette Bubser, Edwin Franklin Hobart, and James Allen Hobart.
The family wishes to express profound thanks to the Lincolnshire Place staff which showed much love, support, and care during his time there, and to Northern Illinois Hospice as well. This kind and multifaceted man will be missed by his family and many friends. Because of his wishes, there will be a private family service. Memorials may be made to Friends of Bush Garden, 600 Mission St. SE Salem. OR 97302 where he spent many happy hours volunteering, Arbor Day Foundation, 211 N 12th St., Lincoln, NE 68508.