Russell "Russ" Dean Hobbs, Jr.

Russell “Russ” Dean Hobbs, Jr., a long-time resident of the Tampa Bay area, died at the Florida Hospital in Tampa, Florida after a brief illness. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Russ spent his childhood in Jacksonville and graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in 1944 where he lettered in football (quarterback, center), basketball (guard) and baseball (pitcher and 3rd baseman). Russ entered the University of Florida in the fall of 1944 on a football scholarship where he played defensive back and center. In March of 1945, he was drafted into the Army and stationed in Augsburg, Germany. Russ continued to play sports in his off duty time. A favorite story he told was playing baseball near the river Schweinfurt where every time you hit a home run you ran down to the river and drank champagne cooling in the water! While in Augsburg, he met the love of his life, Elfriede Hendrich. They dated for 2 years and were married on October 7, 1948 in Fischach, Germany. Soon after, they returned to the United States where they stayed in separate camps in New York for 3 weeks after which time Russ paid an $8 fee for Elfriede to enter the country-the same as a head of cattle. He never let her live that down! They settled in Jacksonville, Florida where Russ began a career in the corrugated box industry working for Owens Illinois. He and Elfriede spent the next 15 years moving around the US before coming back to Jacksonville in 1964. It was in Jacksonville that their family was completed with the addition of 2 adopted children, Russell Dean III and Laura Ann. They moved one last time to Winter Haven, where Russ opened a manufacturing and sales facility for Owens Illinois. In 1973, Russ left Owens Illinois to pursue the American dream of owning his own business. He and a business partner purchased the Jonnel Company. They changed the name to H&D Packaging and spent the next 12 years growing their business and ultimately selling it to Florida Progress. He retired in 1991, but continued to work as a consultant for a packaging company in Orlando until the early 2000’s. Russ loved his wife, Elfriede who died in 2015, his children, grandchildren, great-grandson and golf. However, maybe not in that order! He was an avid golfer who worked on perfecting his game every Sunday. If he wasn’t playing golf; he was watching it on TV. Elfriede would often remark that the TV didn’t play any other channel except the golf channel. He loved the game and played it until he was 89! Russ had a quiet strength. He was a man of few words and from a generation who rarely showed emotion. He was devastated at the loss of his beloved wife of 66 years in 2015 and never fully recovered. We recently asked him what his favorite memories of Elfriede were and he simply replied, “All of them.” He is survived by his son, Russell Dean Hobbs, III and his daughter, Laura Hobbs McBride and son-in-law, Tommy McBride; 8 grandchildren, Jennifer Hobbs, Stephanie Hobbs, Michelle Hobbs, Russell Dean Hobbs IV, Xander Hobbs, Luke McBride, Kira McBride and Rainey McBride and his great-grandson, Lucas Hobbs. A funeral service will be held 10:00 AM, Monday, January 30, 2017 at the Blount & Curry Funeral Home Carrollwood Chapel, 3207 W. Bearss Avenue, Tampa with the family receiving friends one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow the service 1:00 PM at the Florida National Cemetery. Online condolences can be expressed at www.blountcurrycarrollwood.com