Thelma Lavon Hobson

Thelma LaVon Bowhan Hobson, age 94, of Hugo, CO passed away on November 4, 2017, in Denver, CO. She spent her final weeks in hospice care at the home shared by her youngest son, Kent and his life partner, Rene DiBenedetti. She was dearly loved and cared for by her immediate family until the very end. Thelma was born on October 11,1923 in Hugo at the Hammond Maternity Home to her parents, Olen Oscar Bowhan and Verna Elizabeth (Noble) Bowhan. Thelma was first married to James Kenneth (Kay) Webb in 1944, and after his death in 1973 she married Lucien Norman Hobson in 1974. Thelma’s Eastern Colorado roots ran deep. She loved living in Hugo and Karval and did so for most of her life with the exception of living in Denver for seven years. She graduated from high school in 1941 and in her family, she was the 2nd of 3 generations to graduate from Hugo High School and was the 3rd of 4 generations to be a member of the Hugo United Methodist Church. She definitely considered herself a “country girl” and often said, “you can take the girl out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the girl.” Thelma, by nature, was a business woman and during her life she owned and operated 3 businesses; 2 grocery stores and a clothing store. She grew up during the Depression, and lived through World War II and the Korean War. She learned to be a hard worker and knew the value of a nickel. She often said, “Sitting on your fanny doesn’t pay any bills.” After retiring, she became very active in her community. Thelma proudly served as President of Hugo’s VFW Auxiliary Post #6612 and was President of the Hugo United Methodist Women for many, many years. Thelma wasn’t bashful when it came to talking about her cherry pies. Every year she baked them to be sold at the Methodist church food booth during Fair Season. She often said that Gene Vick told her that she baked—The Best—Cherry Pie and that he planned to buy a whole pie every year. Alice Jensen said that he did just that if there was any of her pie left by the time he got to the church’s booth. Thelma said her secret to a great cherry pie was easy. She didn't try to keep it a secret and would readily say, “The trick is to add just a 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract to the pie filling.” However, her favorite dessert was chocolate-anything, and candy chocolates were at the very top of the list. Thelma loved to dance and did so throughout her ninety plus years of life. As a young girl, she was proud to have been a tap dancer and fondly spoke of doing the Charleston to ‘Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue’. As a young woman, Thelma especially enjoyed going to the Saturday night dances in Karval with her husband, Kay and would dance until the band stopped playing. At 93, Thelma’s family was taken aback, but not altogether shocked, to see a video on Lincoln Park’s Facebook page of her doing the “Hula-Hula”. She was an avid reader and knitted many wonderful sweaters and crocheted many colorful afghans which she gave to her family as gifts. Every summer she and her second husband Norman planted a vegetable garden and she thoroughly enjoyed canning vegetables and sharing them with others. Thelma was also known for baking mouth watering sourdough rolls and did so every Thursday for several decades. There was nothing better than a sourdough roll, slathered with butter, fresh from her oven. She inherited her 100 year sourdough bread starter from her father. She always said, “You have to use the starter weekly in order to keep it alive.” When she was ready to stop baking bread, she bequeathed her starter to Jim Emmerling Family was an essential part of Thelma’s life. She was interested in genealogy and contributed to writing a book about the Noble family. She invested not only in the generations before her but loved and was proud of the family she raised. Her offspring spanned 4 generations. Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, Olen and Verna Bowhan, both of her husbands, James Kenneth Webb and Lucien Norman Hobson, and also by her oldest son, Jeral “Jerry” Keith Webb who passed earlier this year in March. She is survived by her brother, Keith Bowhan, of Hugo, her son, Kent Webb, and his partner of 17 years, Rene DiBenedetti. Additionally, Thelma is survived by 4 grandchildren; Jerry Webb’s eldest daughter Keri Kay Edwards and her husband Clint, and his youngest, Keli Sue Bjerke along with her husband David, as well as Kent’s children Caitlin Elizabeth and Tivnan M. Webb (all of Denver). She was blessed to be survived by 7 great grandchildren, 2 great, great granddaughters, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is also survived by Norman Hobson’s 2 sons, Jerry and Terry Hobson and their families. If you wish to make a memorial donation to assist victims and their children of domestic abuse, please send your monetary gift to: Lincoln County Sheriff's Office / Victim Assistance Program, P.O. Box 91, Hugo, Colorado 80821. The family wishes to send it's sincere appreciation and thanks to Thelma's kind and thoughtful care givers of Lincoln Park Living Center in Hugo,Colorado, Denver Hospice and Home Instead of Denver, Colorado. Thelma's "helping hand' and her friendly, easy-going, kind, gentle and loving spirit will be missed by her family, friends and the Hugo-Karval community.