Aubrey Hampton

A pioneer in natural hair and skin care, Aubrey started and operated one of the first natural cosmetic companies in the U.S., with plant-based, synthetic-free products sold all over the world. A vital supporter of the arts community, he co-founded Gorilla Theatre with his late wife, playwright Susan Hussey, who passed away two years ago.

He was born October 23, 1934 in New Albany, Indiana, the son of an organic farmer and a kitchen chemist who made her own herbal beauty products at home. In 1967, he founded Aubrey’s Nature Labs with just two products, simple beginnings he quickly grew into Aubrey Organics, the multi-national company that bears his name.

A prolific author, Aubrey’s books include Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care, What’s in Your Cosmetics, and The Take Charge Beauty Book, co-authored with his wife, Susan. He was publisher of Organica: A Magazine of Arts and Activism, a free publication distributed through health food stores nationwide.

Multi-faceted and multi-talented, Aubrey enjoyed another successful career as a playwright and theatre producer, bringing countless high-end productions to the Gorilla Theatre, as well as staging his own original works. He published two books of plays, GBS and Company, based on the life of George Bernard Shaw, and Wolf Trilogy. In 2000 he founded the Young Dramatists Project, a playwriting competition for middle and high school students, which awards full-scale productions of short plays to budding playwrights.

At the heart of his legacy is his joyful and generous spirit. He will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his two sons, Mitchell and Trevor, and a sister, Millie Newman. He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan, and his brothers Hugh, Kermit and Quentin.

Visitation and reception will be held at Gonzalez Funeral Home, 7209 N. Dale Mabry, on Saturday May 14, from 3-7 P.M., with a service at 4 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations be made in his honor to the American Cancer Society, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, or The Gorilla Theatre.