James Knodel Hubacher

Jim is survived by his wife, Denise; children, Emily Hubacher and Megan Hauke (Mark); and grandchildren Hailey and Audrey. He is preceded in death by his father and mother, William “Bill” and Cova (Cook) Hubacher, of Louisville.

Jim was born on July 16, 1955 in Louisville, KY. He was adopted by Bill and Cova Hubacher in 1958. He graduated from Western High School in Louisville, KY in 1973 and attended University of Kentucky and Morehead University. He met his wife, Denise, at Louisville’s Shakespeare in the Park and they wed in 1980 on her family farm in Iowa. Jim began work as a stagehand for local theater companies, including the Kentucky Center for the Arts, Brown Theater, and Louisville Ballet. He was a member of the Local #17 IATSE. While he worked, his children remember playing backstage and watching productions from the lawn chairs he set up from them. Jim was an involved dad who would pick his children up from school on his bike for a ride home, play hair salon on Saturday mornings, or summer camping in the backyard. Jim was an accomplished drummer and played many gigs with his band, and even recorded a song. He was a prankster that loved a good joke, once taking a mannequin on tour as his driving partner. In 1995, an accident at work caused Jim to receive a spinal cord injury. He was flown to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA for therapy related to his quadriplegia. At the birth of his granddaughters, Jim had a second chance to share his corny dad jokes and he looked forward to their visits.

An open-house visitation is scheduled on Friday June 20 from 4-7 pm at the Riverside Farnsley-Moreman Landing Memorial Chapel at 7410 Moorman Rd, Louisville Kentucky. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Jim's life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Kentucky Humane Society.