George Samuel Hobart

He was pre-deceased by his parents, Robert William Hobart, and Lillian Siipola Hobart; and his half-brother Ted Wilsing; his aunt and uncle Martin and Bertha Zajac; and his cousin Ellie Zajac Namnoun. George and his brother went to live with the Zajacs after their parents died and attended high school while living with them. He is survived by his sons, Robert Charles Hobart and Ted Hobart, and his daughter, Lauren Elisabeth Bass (Greg); his grandson, Gregory Hobart (Sarah) and great-granddaughter, Olivia, stepson Edwin Sale (Kirsten), stepdaughter Anita Sale Clegg (David), and grandchildren Robert, Jennifer, Emily, Laura and Jonathan. His marriages to Johanna Ulmer and Anne Lang ended in divorce. His wife, of nearly 20 years, Marjorie, survives him.

Upon graduation from high school, George entered the Navy near the end of the Korean War, and then used the G.I. Bill to earn a degree in history from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He served in the office of the Chief of Military History in the Pentagon before transferring to the Library of Congress where he became the Curator of Documentary Photographs in the Prints and Photographs Division. He was one of the original ushers at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts when it opened and served for more than 50 years in that role. George loved bringing others to enjoy the performing arts.

George was a talented, left-handed tennis player, active in The Tennis Group in Virginia and Maryland for decades, and the Federal League, Arlington Forest Club teams, Arlington’s senior tennis, and was a Virginia gold medal winner in the 70 and over category of men’s singles tennis in the Senior Olympics one year.

George sang in a variety of choruses including the Arlingtones Barbershop Chorus in Virginia, the Clarendon United Methodist Church Choir, The Medical Musical Group, and The Jefferson Chorus in his retirement community. He was an active member of the Finlandia Foundation National Capital Chapter and Encore Learning.

A celebration of his life will take place at Clarendon United Methodist Church, 606 N Irving Street in Arlington on Friday, July 14, at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the music ministry of the church in his memory.