Robert Hubbs

Bob Hubbs, 85, of Lexington died at a Charlotte, NC hospital on April 1 after suffering a stroke at his Lexington home in February. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday at the Davidson Funeral Home Lexington Chapel, conducted by Rev. Dwight Cartner and burial will military rites by the VFW Post 3074 will follow in the Lexington City Cemetery. Robert Floyd Hubbs was born on January 26, 1922 at his uncle’s home in Moundsville, WV. He and his twin brother Roy were the youngest of ten siblings born to Della Hunt Hubbs and Millard Fillmore Hubbs. All of Bob’s siblings preceded him in death. The death of his father brought Bob to the Jr. Order of United American Mechanics Orphanage (the “Junior Home”) in Lexington, NC in 1928. There he was raised and schooled along with hundreds of children with similar backgrounds who became the center of his life. The “Home Kids” were in constant communication through the years. He proudly served as Treasurer of the Alumni Committee for many years. Soon after graduating from the Junior Home in 1939, Bob returned briefly to West Virginia to start his adult life. A labor strike at Weirton Steel on his first day of work brought him back to NC to look for work. Now back in Lexington for good, Bob met his love, Deanna Hodge, who he married in 1941. Bob was selected in the World War II draft and sent overseas where he made the rank of sergeant before returning home to Deanna from the Far East in 1944. They remained happily married and wholly committed until the day he parted this earth. He landed a job at the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Lexington around 1947. He began in advertising and for many years was responsible for painting, lettering and installing the Coca-Cola café and service station signs, many of which are still in existence around Davidson County. The consolidation of the local Coca-Cola bottlers changed Bob’s role. His natural mechanic’s skills made vending machine repair and maintenance an obvious choice. He spent the remainder of his 37 years at Coca-Cola in this role and many locals may remember him as “the man who fixed my favorite Coke machine”. Bob and Deanna had one son, Robert Millard Hubbs, born on April 15, 1948, who attended the Lexington school system and later joined the Air Force, stationed at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, SC. Robert married Sarah Elizabeth Swicegood in 1969 and had one son, Robert Christopher “Chris”, in 1971. In August, 1973, Robert was killed in a car accident in Lexington. Bob maintained a close relationship with Sarah and adopted her new family as his own, often referring to her husband David Grice as his “son-in-law.” David and Sarah’s daughter Lindsay in turn adopted Bob as her grandfather. Bob is recalled for his kindness and from driving around town in his black 1940 Ford Coupe from 1949 until only recently. Bob is survived by his wife, Deanna, a resident of Brookstone Retirement Center in Lexington; his grandson, Chris Grice, his wife, Regan, and their daughter, Roxy. He also leaves behind his former daughter-in-law, Sarah Grice, her husband, David, and their daughter, Lindsay. If you would like to honor Bob’s memory, a memorial fund has been established in his name with the Jr. Home Kid. Please send your contribution to Jr. Home Kid, c/o Nora Barbee at 4407 Rehobeth Church Rd., Greensboro, NC 27406; or Robert Bruton Memorial Scholarship Fund, c\o Roy Adams, 5409 Choyce Court, Winston-Salem, NC 27106. The family will receive friends at Davidson Funeral Home on Wednesday, April 4 from noon until 1:30 PM.