John Thomas Hobby Jr.

John Thomas Hobby, Jr. died Monday, November 30, 2009, at his home…He was 96 years old. The only son of John Thomas and Cornelia Bryan Hobby, he was born June 17, 1913 in the family home on the corner of Fayetteville and South Streets in Raleigh. His early years were spent observing the business activity that bustled on Fayetteville St. during the early part of this century. He was fascinated by the trolley cars that ran up and down the streets in front of his house and got into trouble by placing caps on the tracks that caused quite a commotion when the cars ran over them and great consternation to the conductor who chased the scampering child home. Intrigued by the brisk activity he saw surrounding the newspaper boys selling The News & Observer on the streets and all of the money they were being given, his entrepreneurial spirit hit early and he, as a five year old child, decided to sell papers on the street, too – only out-of-date ones. When his customers found out, they chased him home to get their money back from his most embarrassed mother. When he was eight years old he got his first legally paying job as a board boy at a local brokerage firm recording quotes by hand on the large board as they came in. During this time he attended Centennial School and Carolina Academy. In 1925, his family left downtown Raleigh for the country, Hayes-Barton. They were early inhabitants of the area, building the second house on Harvey Street – 1112, that remained their family home for many years. More life adventures occurred there for Tommy, as he was known then. His boyhood years were spent exploring the wilderness surrounding Hayes-Barton, Lake Boone and Cameron Village with his friends on their horses and ponies. They entertained themselves with actions inspired by the Wild West cowboy shows they saw in the movies of the day. At this time, he began attending Needham B. Broughton High School, but with his sense of fun and mischievousness, his parents decided Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, Virginia was the place for him. It was there that he thrived, especially under the influence of Col. Morgan Hudgins, whom he considered his mentor, and developed a lifelong love of literature and received not only an excellent education that lasted a lifetime, but many positive influences that shaped his life. He graduated from Fishburne at the height of the depression and felt the responsibility to forgo college and go to work for his father in the family business at J.T. Hobby Wholesale Grocers. It was there that he met his first wife, Jean Edgerton. They married in 1939 and were married for 32 years. While in the wholesale grocery business, he also had the first Allied Van Lines franchise in North Carolina. All the while, he dabbled in real estate. With the rise of the large supermarkets, he and his father sold the wholesale grocery business and devoted his time to his first love, real estate development. In the ensuing years, with his business expertise and savvy real estate mind, he established J.T. Hobby Jr. Real Estate Co. a pioneering real estate company in Raleigh. He developed North Carolina’s first suburban office park, North Hill Office Centre, in the late 1960’s, The company now includes land developments, shopping centers and office buildings. He maintained an active interest in the business, coming into the office as his health would allow – as recently as one month ago. He was as passionate about travel as work. Mr. Hobby travelled the world visiting over 150 cities marking each with a pin on a world map in his office. He especially loved going to Cuba, last visiting there 2 weeks before Castro took over power, his adventures on Tarheels Afloat, going to London and many cruises were taken all over the world with his late wife, and often accompanied by his daughters and later grandson, John. Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Hobby remained a devoted alumnus and philanthropic supporter of Fishburne Military School. In 1988 he became a trustee of the Fishburne-Hudgins Education Foundation serving over 20 years. In 1998, in gratitude to Fishburne for providing him the foundation for his success, Mr. Hobby generously gave a donation that enabled the building of the Hobby-Hudgins Hall, which was dedicated April 29th, 2000, in his honour. He was also named Fishburne Military School’s outstanding alumnus of 1992 and 1998. He was member of The Carolina Country Club, Sphinx Club, Milburnie Fishing Club and the Old Raleigh Boys Club, Raleigh Board of Realtors, Raleigh Board of Directors of BB&T, and a charter member of White Memorial Presbyterian Church. He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Louise Dunn Hobby, his sister Betsy Hobby Glenn and his first wife, Jean Edgerton Hobby. He is survived by two daughters; Jeanie Hobby Holmes and her husband Franklin, and Judy Hobby Poe and her husband Bill. He is also the proud grandfather of seven grandchildren; John F. Holmes, Jr., Elizabeth Holmes Moore (Brian Moore), Hobby Holmes Cole (Taylor Cole, Jr.), Allison Poe Larson (David Larson, Jr.), Jeanie Poe Wrenn (John Wrenn), William D. “Boss” Poe, III (Chaney Poe), and John-Thomas Hobby Poe. Living 96 years, he happily enjoyed all of his great-grandchildren; Jackson and Hobby Moore, Hobby Cole, Lily and Eugenia Larson, Porter, Mary-Scott and Thomas Wrenn, Baxter and Lucy Poe. He leaves behind his special friend Mary Randolph Newcomb and beloved dog, Snooky. He was adored by his family and was known for his love of life, quick wit and was blessed with a remarkable memory. He regaled his family with his encyclopedic memory of events occurring in Raleigh in the “early days” as well as the ensuing decades. He always said, “I have had a wonderful life and enjoyed every minute of it”. He will be greatly missed and remembered fondly by his friends and most especially his loving family. The family appreciates the devotion and love shown to Mr. Hobby by Carolyn Chippey who cared for him for many years and Lekita Essa and her devoted care takers. Visitation with the family will be held Thursday, December 3rd, from 5:00-7:00PM at his home, 930 Blenheim Place. Funeral services will be held at Friday, December 4th at 11:00AM at White Memorial Presbyterian Church. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Fishburne Military School Scholarship Fund, 225 South Wayne Avenue, Waynesboro, VA 22980.