Obituary of Richard Hobson

RICHARD OWEN HOBSON, AGE 95, PASSED AWAY ON SUNDAY, MAY 13, 2007 AT THE WICHITA COUNTY LONG TERM CARE UNIT IN LEOTI, KANSAS. RICHARD WAS BORN DECEMBER 1, 1911 AT ARTESIA, NEW MEXICO, THE SON OF EMORY JOHN & SARAH MELISSA OWEN HOBSON. HE WAS A FARMER/STOCKMAN AND HAD BEEN A WICHITA COUNTY RESIDENT SINCE 1931 MOVING FROM THE SYLVIA, KANSAS AREA. HE WAS A 1930 GRADUATE OF BRESEE COLLEGE IN HUTCHINSON, KANSAS. RICHARD WAS A MEMBER OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, LEOTI, KANSAS , THE FLYING FARMERS ASSN., PURCHASING HIS FIRST PLANE ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1947. RICHARD WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN KANSAS BY SERVING ON THE WICHITA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD THAT ERECTED SEVERAL SCHOOL BUILDINGS. HE WAS FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE WICHITA COUNTY IRRIGATION & DEVELOPMENT ASSN. , THE SOUTHWEST KANSAS IRRIGATION ASSN. THAT AIDED IN BRINGING NATURAL GAS TO WESTERN KANSAS IRRIGATION, THE ORIGINAL R.E.A. BOARD, FARM BUREAU BOARD, NAMED THE 1941 NATIONAL FARMER OF THE YEAR FOR AMERICAN FARM BUREAU, THE TRIPLE A PROGRAM FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DURING THE DEPRESSION, AND WAS A WICHITA COUNTY COMMISIONER DURING THE BUILDING OF THE COMMUNITY BUILDING, JAIL AND NURSING HOME. HE WAS A FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF THE PLEASANT VALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WHERE HE ALSO SERVED AS A SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDANT AND TEACHER AND WAS NAMED AS A DELEGATE FOR THE CHURCH CONFERENCE AND THE PASTOR/PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE. ON AUGUST 1, 1939 HE MARRIED MELBA LORETTA STILES AT LEOTI, KANSAS. SHE PASSED AWAY ON AUGUST 20, 2002 AT LEOTI, KANSAS. OTHER SURVIVORS INCLUDE- A SON- HOWARD HOBSON- FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA A DAUGHTER & HUSBAND- JOAN AND THE REV. CHARLES AYERS- LEOTI, KANSAS TWO GRANDCHILDREN- MARNIE BELLAMY- CLINTON, MISSOURI KARA AYERS- LEOTI, KANSAS FOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN- BENJAMIN BELLAMY- CLINTON, MISSOURI GRAHAM BELLAMY- CLINTON, MISSOURI ELIAN DORANTES- LEOTI, KANSAS MAYA DORANTES- LEOTI, KANSAS ONE BROTHER- JOSEPH HOBSON- KEIZER, OREGON TWO SISTERS- DOROTHY KIMBALL- EMMETT, IDAHO ELEANOR BREWER- NYSSA, OREGON HE WAS PRECEEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS AND A SISTER, MARTHA LANGLEY. FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE HELD AT 10:00 A.M. WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2007 AT THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN LEOTI, KANSAS WITH THE REVEREND RICK JUST OFFICIATING. BURIAL WILL BE IN LEOTI CEMETERY, LEOTI, KANSAS. MEMORIALS MAY BE GIVEN TO THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OR THE WICHITA COUNTY L.T.C.U. IN CARE OF THE FUNERAL HOME. FRIENDS MAY CALL FROM NOON TO 8:00 P.M. TUESDAY AT PRICE & SONS FUNERAL HOME IN LEOTI, KANSAS