By: Keith Kappes
Columnist
Carter County Times
Flying home from Utah last weekend after participating in the funeral of Ray Hobbs, my father-in-law of more than 50 years, became an even sadder journey when I saw a CNN news alert.
It was the first announcement of the death of former President Jimmy Carter at his home in Plains, Ga., earlier that day.
I was struck by the coincidence that both of these 100-year-old men had been heroes of mine and that each possessed certain characteristics that had endeared them to others.
Both were men of strong Christian faith who shared a love of family, of country, of military service and of helping others. And both were proud Democrats, another positive in my eyes.
Yet they came from vastly different backgrounds. President Carter became wealthy as a peanut grower in Georgia, attended the U. S. Naval Academy, and later served as governor of the Peach State before entering the White House.
Ray Hobbs, better known to his nearly 150 living descendants as Grandpa Hobbs, came from a blue collar background and had a high school diploma. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and earned an officer’s commission as a B-17 bomber pilot.
Following World War II, he returned to Utah to help raise his six children by working in the newspaper industry and owning his own auto salvage business. Like Carter, his wife died before him.
Both men faced but overcame misunderstandings in their personal lives. Jimmy Carter was perceived negatively by many America’s voters because of inflation, high gas prices and the Iran hostage incident. As a result, he lost his bid for a second term. Yet, he and his wife devoted the rest of their lives to public service, winning him the Nobel Peace Prize and other accolades.
Ray and his crew arrived in England just before the war in Europe ended. They did not fly any combat missions. Not sure their hard work and training had made a difference, they later learned that their dangerous flights to drop food in “Operation Chowhound” had saved tens of thousands of civilian lives in Nazi-occupied Holland.
Ray became a folk hero to many in his later years as an honored veteran of the 95th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force. Earlier this year, he was resident host of the group’s annual reunion, held alternately in the U.S. and England.
May they both rest in peace.
Contact Keith at keithkappes@gmail.com.
