Hobbs, Ella Thompson

Ella Thompson Hobbs, of Blacksburg, was born February 1, 1917 at Oak Grove in McIver (Reidsville), Caswell County, N.C.

She was the daughter of Azariah Graves Thompson and Lula Belle Stephens Thompson of Leasburg, N.C. Ella attended Trinity School from 1923 to 1938 and Bartlett Yancey High School and was graduated valedictorian of the Class of 1933. She attended Appalachian State Teachers College, now Appalachian State University (ASU) Boone, N.C. and was graduated in 1937 with a BS degree in English and Physical Education.

Beginning in August of 1937, Ella taught two years in Randolph County, N.C. teaching both English and Physical Education and was the girl’s basketball coach. On November 27, 1937, she married Lloyd LeRoy Hobbs, of Edenton, N.C., who was a dental student attending the Medical College of Virginia. In August 1940, she taught English, History and coached basketball at Altamahaw-Ossipee High School in Alamance County, N.C.. She did graduate work in History.

In June 1941, she and Lloyd moved to Marion, Va. where she was employed as Librarian and he as the Dentist for Southwestern State Hospital. December 6, 1941, she and Lloyd moved to Blacksburg, Va. where she worked as Lloyd’s dental assistant for two years.

During her life in Blacksburg, she was an active member of the Blacksburg Methodist Church beginning in January 1942, taught Sunday School, helped organize the first Church Bazaar and served one year as Chairman. She also served as President of the UMW. She worked with the Newcomers Club, organized and served as President of the Blacksburg Junior Woman’s Club. She served as Organizing President of Blacksburg Intermediate Woman’s Club, was a member of Blacksburg Woman’s Club, and a member of the VPI & SU Library. She worked actively with the Girl Scouts for 21 years. She was a member of and a Past Regent of the Allegheny Chapter of the Daughter’s of the American Revolution. Ella was a member of the ASU Alumni Association, Chancellor’s Society and created the Ella Thompson Hobbs Memorial Scholarship for English Majors and the Lloyd LeRoy Hobbs Memorial Scholarship for the Physical Sciences.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Lloyd LeRoy Hobbs Jr., in 1963; her husband, Dr. Lloyd LeRoy Hobbs in 1994; her brothers, Azariah Graves Thompson Jr. and John Nicholas Thompson; and her sister, Nancy Ann Thompson Crater.

Ella is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Hannah HobbsRoulstone and Capt. D. Bruce Roulstone, USN, Ret. of Alexandria, Va.; her daughter, Stephena Hobbs Runyan, of Park City, Utah; three grandchildren, Erna Runyan Perelle, of Charlotte, N.C., Virginia Roulstone Ressel, of Jacksonville, Fla., and D. Brian Roulstone, of Tampa, Fla.; four great-grandchildren, Noah and Zachary Ressel, of Jacksonville, Fla., and Samuel and Ella Roulstone, of Tampa, Fla.; one brother and sister-in-law, Lawrence and Mary Thompson, of Bonita Springs, Fla.; two sisters-in-law, Rachel Y. Thompson ,of Charlotte, N.C., and Faye Thompson, of Greensboro, N.C.; nieces, Helen Crater Halva, of Raleigh, N.C., Jessica Hobbs Bailey, of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Linda Jo Thompson Swords, of Gastonia, N.C.; and one god child, Jennifer Little Settlerstrom, of Annapolis, Md.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15, 2008, in the Blacksburg United Methodist Church with the Rev. Reggie Tuck and the Rev. Herb Hobbs officiating. Interment will follow in Westview Cemetery, Blacksburg.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Lloyd L. Hobbs Scholarship for Wrestling at Appalachian State University, Office of Gift Planning, 134 Dougherty Admin. Bldg., P.O. Box 32007, Boone, N.C. 28608-2007. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Dr., S.W., Blacksburg, Va.