Our mother, Bonnie L. Hobson, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday September 24, 2024. She was 93.
There is so much more to her than could ever be told or understood in an obituary.
She was born in a brick house without electricity in Fredericktown, Ohio on February 20, 1931 to Leland C. and Florence L. (Robinson) Ebersole. She was the seventh of ten children. She often told stories of her Aunt Bessie, who also lived in the house with them.
In 1942, they moved to a farm near Chesterville, Ohio. She was a majorette in high school and later became the drum majorette. She acted in the class plays. On the farm, she would help with the chores such as milking the cows and making hay, sometimes driving the horses before they got a tractor.
She went to Ashland College for two years to obtain a teacher’s certificate & was also a majorette there. Her first position was as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in Chesterville, where she taught several grades. In the summer of 1952, she met her future husband, Dale L. Hobson. They were married later that year in October. The following year she taught in Mt. Gilead. They owned their own farm briefly before moving to Ashland in 1957, where she lived out the remainder of her life.
After taking time off to begin a family, she resumed her teaching in Polk in 1963. After a couple of years, she was able to secure a teaching position in Ashland City Schools, retiring in 1989.
Bonnie became a devoted member of the First United Methodist Church in 1958 as a member of the Friendship Class. She also taught Sunday School there. She was a life-long volunteer, contributing many hours to Laubach Literacy, the Kroc Center, and Samaritan Hospital, which later became part of the University Hospital system.
She was always in motion and enjoyed helping her friends and neighbors, traveling, taking care of her house and yard, reading, cross-stitching and spending time with her family.
She is survived by her daughter, Colleen Free of Ashland; sons, Ray (Jane) Hobson of Jeromesville and Larry Hobson of Chagrin Falls; and daughter, Arlene Hobson of Seattle, Washington. She is also survived by seven grandchildren; Darcey (Chris) Young, Jon (Amie) Hobson, Ben (Suzi) Hobson, Sarah (Shane Amoroson) Hobson, Rachel Hatcher, Seth Hobson and Elliot Kraber; twelve great grandchildren; one sister, Ruth Reeder of Butler; a brother, Robert Ebersole of Cochran, Georgia, a brother and sister-in-law, Duane (Becky) Hobson of Mansfield, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband,
Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents; husband Dale L. Hobson; seven siblings: Vivian Morris, Lillian Lower, Aileen Bishop, Lloyd Ebersole, Lewis Ebersole, Ernie Ebersole and Richard Ebersole and her son-in-law, Jim Free.
She will be greatly missed.
Funeral services will be held on Friday October 4, 2024 at 11:00am at the First United Methodist Church with Vicar Derek Kubilus officiating. Friends may visit with the family at the church beforehand from 10:00-11:00am. Burial will follow the service at the Ashland County Memorial Park.
Online condolences may be left for the family by visiting www.heylfuneralhome.com
Heyl Funeral Home is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
Funeral Home: Heyl Funeral Home
Website: .heylfuneralhome.com