Robert Hubbs

Robert Wilbur Hubbs passed away Sunday, June 26, 2016, at the age of 94, at The Springs. Robert was born to Mattie and Cleon B. Hubbs in El Reno, Oklahoma, on Dec. 24, 1921.

Robert was 2 1/2 years old when his father died in an auto accident. The family then moved to Cortez, Colorado, where his mother married Frank Welch. He and his brothers Ernest and Virgil worked very hard with their stepfather raising farm animals and dry farming. Dad and his brother Ernest joined the Navy in 1941. Robert served on the USS Chinquapin, a submarine net tender, on campaigns in the Marshall Islands, Marianas, and Okinawa. He was a Chief Petty Officer.

Robert met Joan M. Lee at the USO in San Rafael, California, in 1944. They have been married 71 years. Their daughter Pamela was born in 1945. They lived in Ross, California, until 1950 when they bought an eight acre farm. Robert worked for Pacific Bell Telephone Co. until 1981 when he retired. He worked very hard running the farm and working for the phone company. He raised steers, had a milk cow and they made their own butter and ice cream, he always had a huge garden and also raised hay for their horses and cows. His barn, shop, garage and tools were always very neat, clean and ready to use.

Dad and Mom belonged to the Petaluma Riding and Driving Club in Petaluma, California, and they went on many trail rides and overnight rides with their friends. They also went on horse packing trips to lakes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Trinity Alps in northern California. Dad and I raised and trained two mustangs from Nevada, they were some of our best horses. He liked to fish in the Russian River in the 1950s for Steelhead, and go up to Lake McCloud with their boat. Dad had a great quiet sense of humor, he would put potatoes in the toe of my rubber rain boots.

They moved to Hamilton in 1983 and raised alfalfa, he had a huge garden and would donate 500 to 600 pounds of produce to the food pantry in Hamilton each year. Until the last few years he cut and split fire wood for their wood stove, he loved being outside doing things. Robert and Joan enjoyed their motor home and boat at many Montana lakes. Robert liked elk hunting, fishing and ice fishing with his neighbor Ed Bloedel, Ed guided him to many great places.

Mom and Dad moved to The Springs four years ago and enjoyed walking in the neighborhood twice a day, watching the planes fly over, and the silly squirrels running up and down the trees and meeting many nice people at The Springs.

He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Joan; daughter Pamela Kaminska; granddaughter Leslie Robinson of Missoula and grandson-in-law Ed Pitt of Lolo; nephews, Jerry Hubbs (Janet) of American Falls, Idaho, Michael Hubbs (Denise) of Goose Creek, South Carolina; niece Virginia Snow (Chris) of Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Robert was preceded in death by his mother Mattie Hubbs and father Cleon B. Hubbs; brothers, Ernest Hubbs and Virgil Hubbs; sister-in-law Conchita Hubbs; niece Joyce Hubbs Strube; stepsister Mae Welch; stepfather Frank Welch.

Services will be held at Garden City Funeral Home, 1705 W. Broadway, Missoula on Thursday, June 30, at 10 a.m. Reception to follow at The Springs, 3710 American Way, Missoula.