Leone Marion Hobbs

HOBBS, LEONE MARION HALLETT 1917 to 2007 Leone, 89, passed away January 23, 2007, at Palomar Hospital in Escondido. Leone Marion Hallett was born June 8, 1917, in Ames, Iowa. She measured the value of her life by the contributions and integrity of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At the end of her journey on earth, Leone was the matriarch of a large and diverse family. Leone was born the youngest of three children on an Iowa farm. As a teenager, Leone raised and trained the Iowa State Fair Champion Draft Horse. During the school year, she lived in town with the football coach's family, learning the playbook while tutoring the football players academically. Leone maintained her lifelong interest in football through the past Chargers' season. She also continued her interest in horses by handicapping the races until she could no longer read the Racing Form. After attending college in Storm Lake, Iowa, Leone became a teacher in a one room school. Migrating West to be with family in San Diego County, she married, had children, and became a "Rosie the Riveter" at Consolidated (Convair) during WWII. Later, she worked as a grader at the Escondido Orange Association packing house. During the 1950's and into the early 1960's, Leone and her husband, Ernest Hugh "Hollywood" Hobbs, owned and operated "The Metro," a card room, bar, and pool hall located on East Grand Avenue in Escondido. Leone actively contributed to the Escondido community as a Cub Scout Den Mother and as a Girl Scout Leader, also as President of the Escondido Federation of Eagles Auxiliary and as an instructor in the ESL or English as a Second Language program. "Granny" was loved deeply and will be greatly missed. Her offspring respected her calm strength, open-mindedness, forthrightness, and tremendous sense of humor. Leone was knowledgeable, fair, and kind, and she will be long remembered for the guidance and love she shared with her family and the community. Leone is survived by her children, Donna Seecof of Imperial Beach, Jim Hobbs of Alpine, and Alice White of Oceanside, nine grandchildren (Mark Seecof, Ben Seecof, Greg Seecof, Ernie Hobbs, Jamie Hobbs, Scott Perfect, Sherry Castello, Chuck Perfect, and Steve Perfect), and eighteen great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest, her sister, Bernice Long, and her brother, Wilbur Hallett. The family has various private gatherings planned to celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Elizabeth Hospice, 150 West Crest Street, Escondido, CA 92025. Please sign the guest book at obituaries.uniontrib.com