Mrs. Elfriede Anna Hobbs

Elfriede Anna Hendrich Hobbs of Tampa, Florida, 85, a long-time resident of the Tampa Bay area, passed away on February 26, 2015 at the Florida Hospital in Tampa, Florida after a brief illness. Born May 29, 1929 in Graslitz, Czechoslovakia, Elfriede spent her childhood years here and after the end of WWII, she and her family relocated to Fischach, Germany, a municipality in the district of Augsburg. Elfriede and her sister worked in a small café in Augsburg which was frequented by American soldiers and it was here that she met the love of her life, Russell Hobbs, Jr. They dated for 2 years and were married October 7, 1948 in Fischach. Shortly after, they returned to the US and settled in Jacksonville, Florida. 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, both born in 1965. They moved one last time to Winter Haven, Florida where they lived for the next 35 years. Elfriede was a devoted wife and mother who was always ready to serve in anyway. Love and food were always in abundance in her home. Next to being a mother, she loved being a grandmother to 7 active grandchildren. In 2001, she and Russ moved to Tampa to be closer to her grandchildren. In 2013, they moved to University Village, a retirement community in Tampa. She loved her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandson and good food in that order! She was the most resilient survivor we know. She never gave up and never stopped fighting. Her age bears testimony to her unyielding spirit. No one in her family lived beyond their mid 70’s. We had her until she was well into her 85th year. She always had a warm smile on her face. She enjoyed playing bridge and bingo with friends at University Village. She will be greatly missed by her husband, children and grandchildren. She sustained our family. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Russell Dean Hobbs, Jr., her son Russell Dean Hobbs, III and her daughter and son-in-law, Laura Hobbs and Tommy McBride, and her 7 grandchildren, Jennifer Hobbs, Luke McBride, Stephanie Hobbs, Kira McBride, Michelle Hobbs, Rainey McBride and Russell Dean Hobbs IV and her great-grandchild, Lucas Hobbs. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 from 10:00-11:00 AM with a service immediately following at Blount & Curry Funeral Home Carrollwood Chapel, 3207 W. Bearss Avenue, Tampa, FL, 33618. Interment at Florida National Cemetery.