Robert W. Hubner

HUBNER--Robert W., died on November 15, 2007, in Vero Beach, Florida, after a protracted illness. He was 89 years old. Bob was born in Tacoma, Washington, and graduated from West Seattle High School in 1936. After graduating from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1941 and service in the U.S. Army, he joined the International Business Machines Corporation. Bob was made IBM vicepresident of marketing in 1965. He retired from IBM as a senior vice-president and member of the Corporate Management Committee in 1978. He was a director of the IBM World Trade Corporation and the IBM World Trade Europe/Middle East/Africa Corporation. He served on the boards of the FMC Corporation, the Marine Midland Banks, the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, Baldwin Technology Corporation, International Income Properties, Inc. and the F. M. Schaefer Corporation. Bob was a member of the Advisory Board to the Graduate School of Business, University of Washington and a member of the New York Urban Coalition. Bob Hubner was a lifelong sailor. He began racing on Lake Washington in a 6-meter named "Fun," and later competed successfully for many years in ocean races in a series of yachts named "Kate." He chaired the "Clipper" syndicate in the 1980 America's Cup defense. He was a trustee of the New York Yacht Club and the Cruising Club of America and was a trustee and commodore of the Edgartown Yacht Club. Bob was a founder of Operation Sail, Inc., the organization that has brought tall ships from around the world to five Parades of Sail in New York Harbor. He served on the boards of the South Street Seaport Museum, the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He was an avid cook, skier, golfer and musician who excelled in piano, accordion, trumpet, coronet, saxophone and clarinet. He helped put himself through college by playing jazz on cruise ships to the Orient during the summers. His other club memberships included the Weeburn Country Club, the Edgartown Reading Room, the Brooke, the Pilgrims of the U.S., the Metropolitan Club (Washington, D.C.) and the Riomar Country Club. He was predeceased in 1996 by his first wife Kay, the former Katherine Lorraine Huick, to whom he was married in 1942. He is survived by his wife Patricia, the former Patricia Gillespie Stolar, his daughter Melissa B. Hubner, his son, Robert W. Hubner, Jr. and his two grandchildren, Tennessy Kay Hubner and Paris Toby Hubner. He was a wonderful husband, father and friend whose wisdom, strength, humor, gentleness, elegance and love will be in the hearts of his family forever. In lieu of flowers, contributions would be gratefully received at the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice Foundation, 1110 36th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960. A memorial service will be held 11am, Monday, November 26, 2007 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Darien, CT.