GLOUCESTER: Audrey L. (Levie) Hobbs, 87, of Prospect Square, died early Monday morning, March 14, 2011 in the Addison Gilbert Hospital following complications from pneumonia. She was the wife of the late Fred Hobbs, Jr., who died in May of 1971.
Born in Gloucester on April 21, 1923, she was the daughter of the late Charles C. and May G. (Preston) Levie.
Audrey was devoted to her husband, and his loss was profound for the family. An able bodied seaman, who had once fished aboard the Phyllis A, he was also a decorated U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, having served aboard the USS Swivel ARS-36, a salvage tug that landed at Normandy. She had said “There’s nothing like being on the arm of a man in his Navy uniform!”
In addition to being the busy mother of seven, Audrey was the foster mother to many children. She had been a den mother for the Cub Scouts. She was also avid reader and enjoyed the beach, knitting and working in her garden. Many wonderful memories were made on family trips to Wolfeboro, New Hampshire and Old Orchard Beach, Maine. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her children and their spouses, Jay C. and Helen Hollister, Frederick C. Hobbs, who was her devoted caregiver and with whom she resided, Michael W. and Nancy Hobbs, Janice M. and Cosmo Parisi, Donald P. and Deborah Hobbs, Philip J. and Cheryl Hobbs, Russell S. and Melissa Hobbs; and a very special foster child, Grace, wife of Wayne Saunders; twelve grandchildren, Kathleen, Brian, Jason, Jonathan, Fred, Jason, Pamela, Vanessa, Kaylynn, Emilee, Stephen and Caleigh; eight great-grandchildren; her sister, Janice Graves; sister-in-law, Phyllis Levie and many nieces, nephews and dear friends. She was also predeceased by her daughter, Wendy A. Hobbs, grandson, Daniel P. Hobbs; brother, Charles C. Levie; and brother-in-law, Eliot Graves.
Her funeral services will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the American Diabetes Assoc., 330 Congress St., 5th Fl., Boston, MA 02110 (www.diabetes.org).