Robert Hobson

Robert Hobson, age 76, of Beech Grove, Indiana passed away on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. He was born January 19, 1947 in Manchester, England to the late Harold Cyril and Ruby (Johnson) Hobson. Bob (Bubs) was truly one of a kind - a loving, funny, hardworking, and generous man. His favorite word was budget, & it was a standing joke that the B word was Caroline’s least favorite word! Despite making their home in the USA, he was a true Northern English man who loved to talk football & beer - “proper beer” as he called it. He loved nothing more than introducing it to their American friends. There were many happy memories involving a good beer & BBQ. He loved all sports, but especially football (don't call it soccer unless you want the debate). He was lucky enough to play professional soccer when at the age of 18 he got signed to play for Grimsby town. Sadly, his football career was cut short. This was a blessing in disguise as he worked his tail off doing two jobs & in between studying to be an accountant he became a new Dad. He loved his job working for ADM, and he started his career in Manchester as a chartered accountant & quickly rose through the ranks becoming Finance director at age 27. He wasn't sure he was ready but his mentor, John Mahlisch, had faith in him. He proved that he was a financial genius when looking at numbers & had found his other love. Bob and Helga had two children - Lisa & Anthony - who he was enormously proud of. He would tell anyone who would listen that his daughter went to Oxford & that his son was a doctor. They gave him five beautiful grandchildren who he was also very proud of. Even when their marriage ended, Bob and Helga remained friends & they were always thankful for her support over the years. In 1986, Bob met the love of his life, Caroline, who was willing to go anywhere he went with his career as long as they were together. They were married in the Seychelles in 1989. In 1991 they started the first of many moves, moving down South to the Garden of England but never losing his love for the pubs & curry mile of the North. He traveled all over the world with work & occasionally for pleasure - when you could get him to stop thinking about work! In 1993, he became a dad to James Hobson. Katie arrived in 1995 & Anna quickly followed in 1997. He loved being a dad & was immensely proud of his children. They have proved to have the same work ethic as their dad & the love of helping people like their mum. In 2000, ADM wanted him to work at their headquarters in the USA, and so the adventure of international moves began. First in Illinois, then to the Netherlands, then back to Hertfordshire, before returning to Illinois in 2007. They made their home in Mt. Zion, Illinois, among the cornfields until their children were fully grown. Many wonderful memories were made with special friends Karin & Joey, Krista & Dale, & John & Louise. Kim was also there through thick & thin from the beginning. They also had a group of friends that had lived overseas or were from another country & understood what it’s like to have two homelands. These friends were invaluable while Bob was often away from home doing jobs in Memphis & Milwaukee. He had a special talent for turning around companies that were underperforming, & he was extremely successful in his mission doing his best for ADM. He finally retired in 2015, & bought a house in Florida to live out his dream. Sadly, it soon became apparent he was having some memory issues & in 2018 he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s/Dementia. So, the battle & the long goodbye began. They moved back to Illinois to be closer to their children & friends. At the start of 2020, they decided to fulfill Caroline’s dream of living in the mountains in beautiful McCall, Idaho. This time it was Bob’s turn to be happy & follow Caroline. The pandemic hit hard & they were fortunate to escape to the little bubble of happiness & peace in the mountains.They made many happy memories in their log cabin with its view of the mountains. The mantra became “make good memories.” Initially, it was to make good memories for Bob, but when it became apparent that his memory was going fast it became important to “make good memories” for everyone around him so that they would be able to remember the good times. The memory of the good times would far outweigh the hard days. His love of singing & performing was legendary. His ability to sing Bob Dylan’s 11 minute Desolation Row almost word for word, long after his ability to speak coherently was gone, was something to behold. The power of music cannot be expressed enough & proved to be soothing in the last tough days, even in the depths when he seemed to not respond he would occasionally try to hum a tune. The last 2 months were brutal and it was tough for those around him to witness first hand how truly devastating this disease is. Caroline was immensely grateful for “Head for Change” - a charity set up to bring about positive change for brain health in sport & to support ex-players & their families affected by neurodegenerative disease. Being able to talk & be supported by people going through similar things without judgment & pure understanding was invaluable. They don’t know if some of the brain changes were due to his footballing days, but are hopeful they can bring awareness & positive changes, so that if they can prevent another family enduring this pain all will not be lost. They have met many special people along life’s journey. Bob did not want a funeral. They ask that you remember him as he wished with love, laughter, sharing memories & raising a beer or two!! Special thanks to Community North hospital & especially Life’s Journey Hospice who made the last days of his life as he would have wanted. Peaceful, pain free & finally released from his struggles. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.littleandsonsbeechgrove.com for the Hobson family.