Mabel Hobbs

Mabel Lorraine Hobbs, 89, of Atlantic, Iowa, and formerly of Anita, Iowa, entered into rest April 30, 2012, at the Heritage House in Atlantic, Iowa.

Mabel was born October 26, 1922, in Anita, Iowa, to Harry C. and Lillian Hester
(Garside) Highley. She attended school in Anita and graduated from Anita High School with the class of 1941. During the summer of 1942, she attended the Iowa State Teachers extension college in Red Oak and in 1943 she attended the same college in Corning. She taught at the Lincoln No. 8 School south of Anita and a country school west of Cumberland. Mabel finished the 1945-1946 school year as a teacher then left teaching to become a homemaker since Delbert had returned from the Navy in January of 1946.

Mabel was united in marriage to Delbert Hobbs on June 11, 1944, in
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. Delbert joined Mabel on her family farm south of Anita when his service in the Navy was finished. Mabel and Delbert lived on the farm and in Anita for 62 years before moving to the Heritage House in Atlantic, Iowa.

Mabel liked sewing, making quilts and cloth books for all the children and others. The cloth books were called Quiet Books. She also loved to garden and started many plants from seeds in Jiffy 7s. Cooking was special to her, particularly making candy and chocolate pie with nuts on the meringue. Mabel loved all flowers but roses were her favorite.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Atlantic since 1985. Mabel was a charter member of the "LL" Club, a member of the Anita Garden Club and a former member of the Exira Garden Club. Mabel was always very active in young people's groups in the Lincoln Center and Anita areas. The most important thing to Mabel was Delbert and her family.

She is survived by her husband, Delbert Hobbs of Atlantic, Iowa; her daughter, Carol and husband, Jerald Hanson of Yorkville, Illinois; her grandchildren, Jennifer Gonnella of San Jose, CA and Eric Hanson of Woodridge, IL; her great-grandchildren Alex Hansen of Woodridge, IL, Gianna, Casey and Genevieve Gonnella all of San Jose, CA; her special niece, Patricia and husband, Charley Dyer of Pleasant Hill, IA; cousins, Larry Garside of Reno, NV and Jodi Jorgensen of California; other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Josephine Bailey; and her brother-in-law, Kermit Bailey and his wife, Elsie Bailey.

A memorial service will be held at Hockenberry Family Care, Atlantic, Iowa, on Thursday, May 3, 2012, at 10:30 a.m., with a time for lunch and visitation to follow.

A private family burial of cremated remains will be in the Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, Iowa.