Kathryn Hobbs

1920 - 2022

Kathryn J. Hobbs



Kathryn J Hobbs passed away in her own bed, of her own timing, peacefully asleep, at the age of 101 on January 11, 2022. What many people would label the ideal way to go, her death certificate reads "died of old age". The quintessential example of a long and good life. Her life was a journey full of joy but equally full of pain and suffering, as one cannot expect to live for a century and not experience a substantial number of hard times.



Born Kathryn Jean Rider on August 13, 1920. She was the youngest of Fred and Ella Rider's 8 children and the only to be born in a hospital. Her birth certificate reads "illegitimate" because her father didn't understand the question. Always full of dry wit and personality Kathryn was fond of provoking a rise out of her audience and was known to sensationalize stories. She would say she "was born at the bottom of a lake". Not an all-out lie, she was actually born in the town of Caddoa, CO. A town prone to flooding by the Arkansas River and redistricted to provide the land that would eventually become the John Martin Reservoir.



At the age of 3 her father accepted a job teaching agriculture at the Rio Grande Institute in Albuquerque, NM, a school for troubled youth. The Rider Family lived, attended school, and worked at Rio Grande for six years. During that time Kathryn's older sister Florence sadly died in childbirth and she vividly remembered all the Rio Grande school children lining up and saluting the family in respectful condolence. Although she would always follow up the memory with a chuckle and the statement "I'll never know why they chose to salute."



In 1929 her father was given a small ranch in the Sandia Mountains in exchange for helping a friend dig a well. The Rider family moved to the property and, using forest timber, built a two-bedroom log house. A house that is still lived in today. They farmed dry land corn and beans, raised pigs, and had several very successful years. The dust bowl brought severe drought and proved to be extremely hard on the Rider family. At 14 Kathryn was sent to live with her sister Marion to attend high school and because there were simply too many mouths to feed on the farm.



However, Kathryn never finished high school. She met a boy named Presley Cozart at the age of 17, got married, and become a mother to her first daughter at the age of 18. In 1948 Kathryn's husband Presley was tragically killed in a car accident. Leaving her a widow at the age of 28. Being a single mother in the 1940's was no easy task and Kathryn eventually moved her and her daughter east in search of the opportunity to have a career. Despite having very little formal education Kathryn worked her way into the retail industry and became a very well-respected buyer for Innes Department Store in Wichita, KS. When asked how she managed to accomplish such a successful career in business she would say "look pretty and act like you don't know anything, until you've learned enough that they can't turn you down".



She met her second husband Elton while working at Innes. He was a furniture salesman and a WWII veteran. They married and gave birth to another daughter. Kathryn was 38 years old. The couple spent 30 happy years together. They eventually returned to the Rider homestead in Sandia Park, NM and Kathryn began work as an interior decorator. Collaborating on many high-level projects including the largest house in NM (in 1973), the Sandia High School theatre, Prince of Peace Lutheran, and Good Shepherd Lutheran Churches.



In 1986 she became a widow for the second time when Elton passed away from heart disease. After a few lonely years on the ranch, she moved back to Albuquerque and began yet another life. She retired from her official career and began her "retirement career" working at Cortese Jewelry. For the next 20 years she enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren and working part-time alongside her dearest friend Marilyn Cortese, a friendship that spanned over 50 years.



In 2003 at the age of 82 Kathryn suffered a hemorrhage in her eyes, the result of macular degeneration, and lost nearly all her eyesight in both eyes. She retired again and moved into a house with her sister Winifred. While many people would have been fatally crippled by losing their sight at such a mature age, Kathryn was as strong as they come and she took blindness in stride. She became amazingly good at pretending she could see. She would cling to your arm for stability and rely on people to tell her when to step. But she never let her blindness prevent her from doing anything she wanted to do, and she rarely stumbled. "Always walk with a purpose" she would say. And blindness never slowed her pace. Her table manners never got sloppy, and she never failed to compliment anyone on their outfit or their hair; even though it was clear she couldn't see a thing.



Kathryn was tough and sturdy. She was equally at home in the middle of nowhere or in the middle of New York City. Classy and country, she never made excuses and was amazingly resilient. Picking herself up and completely starting over time and time again. She was stylish, never went without lipstick, and lived for a good margarita. She was optimistic by nature, good humored, sarcastic to the end, and could be so incredibly funny. When asked if she was afraid of COVID she simply replied, "darling I've been pretty much expecting to die from something for the last 20 years." She watched the world change dramatically from 1920-2022. And when asked what historical event stood out most in her memory, she surprisingly responded the "kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby". She was courageous through life and managed to weather some terrible storms. She loved her family and her many dear friends. Her last words before slipping into a forever sleep were "I love you Jesus, please take me home".



Kathryn is preceded in death by her parents, siblings, two husbands (Harrison Presley Cozart & Elton Hobbs) and her longtime partner Bob Hagen. She is survived by her two daughters Chris Newman (Marty) of St. Louis, MO and Kirstin Peterson (Scott) of Enfield, NH. Her grandchildren Bryan Miller (Maria) of Kansas City, KS; Brett Miller (Leslie) of Louisville, KY; Brittany Miller of St. Louis, MO; Kerrie Romero (Peter) of Stanley, NM; Christopher Cox (Karli) of Albuquerque, NM; and Holly Weinstein (Jeff) of Enfield, NH. As well as by nine great grandchildren, three step-great grandchildren, and many close friends.



A memorial service for Kathryn will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Edgewood, NM on Thursday March 10, 2022 at 11:00am. Lunch will be served following the service. She will be interred with her husband Elton at the Santa Fe National Cemetery in a private ceremony on March 16, 2022.