Jerry Hobbs

Jerry Hobbs, age 92, of Norman, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, January 12, 2022.  He is survived by his beautiful wife of 71 years, Darline Hobbs of the home; his six children: Jeanette Doty and her husband Ralph of Norman; Mark Hobbs and his wife Joy of Tulsa; Judy Mayfield of Oklahoma City; Peggy Warren and her husband Dan of Iowa; Pat Wilson and her husband George of Norman; and Carrie Engle and her husband Todd of Lake Ozark, Missouri.

Jerry is also survived by ten grandchildren: Tara Burke, Tiffany Hobbs and Travis Hobbs all of Tulsa; Amber Briggs of Illinois; Stephen Warren of Iowa; Rebecca Engle and Joshua Engle of Colombia, Missouri; Andre Wilson and Ethan Wilson both of Norman; and Jennifer Dixon of Florida; twelve great grandchildren: Dylan, Boston, Kyler and Devin Hobbs of Tulsa; Jackson and Field Hobbs of Tulsa; Quinn and Finn Hobbs of Tulsa; Damien and Naomi Warren of Iowa; Kailanee and Kalena Dixon of Florida; and three of his seven siblings: Linda Pence of Shawnee; Dan Hobbs of Norman; and Jane Davis.

Jerry was born February 6, 1929, in Rocky, Oklahoma, to his father, Seab Hobbs, and mother, Moneta Hobbs.  He had no middle name but had several nicknames, like Jargo and Jughead.  He moved to Cordell, Oklahoma, at age 13, and played basketball and football in high school.  Jerry also met the love of his life, Jimmie Darline Anderson, in Cordell at a church event.  She was 14 and he was 16.  “She wore a blue and white dress,” he said.  “I saw her over the rind of a watermelon and was taken with her right away.”  They were married August 21, 1950, in Cordell, Oklahoma.  A year later, their first child, Jeanette, was born.  At the time, he was going to seminary, working half the night at General Motors, and driving 150 miles to pastor a church.  He pastored a church in Irving, Oklahoma, and Vernon, Texas, before applying to be a missionary.  In 1957, when Jeanette was 6, Mark was 4 and Judy was 2, they took a boat to Thailand to become missionaries.  Their other children, Peggy, Pat and Carrie, were born in Thailand.

Jerry and Darline served in Thailand for thirty four years, first in Nakorn Nayok, then in Prachinburi.  In 1968, while driving his beloved Land Rover, he was hit by a truck while traveling out to a local village for a visit.  He broke his hip and pelvis and had to be in the hospital in Bangkok for six months in traction.  After that, he and Darline served as hostel parents to missionary kids in Bangkok for three years.  He also served at the Bangkla Baptist Hospital in Bangkla, Thailand as a chaplain.  In the last few years in Thailand, he served as the Thailand Mission Administrator in Bangkok.  Jerry and Darline retired to Norman, Oklahoma, in 1991 to help care for Darline’s mother.  From 1991 to present, they have lived in Norman, and have been active at First Baptist Church of Norman.

Jerry had many loves.  He loved ice cream, especially homemade, watermelon and Thai food, especially curry, and sticky rice and mangoes.  He loved studying the bible and read copious books related to theology.  He loved teaching Sunday school at First Baptist Church of Norman.  He enjoyed music and was a member of the choir at First Baptist Church for many years.  Some of his favorite music included jazz, such as Dave Brubeck and Ramsey Lewis and the Three Tenors.  Jerry would wake his family up Christmas morning with the sound of Mahalia Jackson belting out “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem”.  He took his final breath to “In the Upper Room” by Mahalia Jackson.  He loved cars and planes and early on had an extensive collection of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics.  Finally, he loved OU football and, in Thailand, would often wake up at odd hours to listen to a game on the Armed Services Radio.  Jerry loved Thailand and the Thai Christians he worked with.  He had a special place in his heart for those who suffered with leprosy.  He would wash and dress their wounds, without fear of getting the disease himself. 

A deep felt thank you goes out to our angels from Synergy Health Care – Anne, Mirabel, Patrick, Winnie, Michael, Derrick and Brandon – who took such good care of Jerry and continue to bless all of his family with their love and kindness. You will never know how much you mean to us.

A small, private service was held.