Anne Staples Hobson
Anne Staples Hobson, 93, cherished mother, nana, and loyal friend passed away on Saturday, July 29, 2023 at Alpha House Assisted Living in Ashland, Virginia.
Anne began showing signs of Dementia in 2015 and her 9-year struggle with this unforgiving disease was long and hard. Throughout this journey, known as “The Long Goodbye” the memories of her life and the brilliant, inquisitive mind we all admired slowly slipped away; however, the strong, feisty Anne we knew and loved remained. The last few years of her life were particularly hard after she developed COVID-19 and pneumonia in late 2020, and was placed in hospice care. Even at the very end of her life, she fought like we expected - transitioning for over a week so all her family could be there, feel her love, share our love and gratitude, and allow her to leave on her terms. We are comforted knowing that she is finally at peace and reunited with family and friends who have been waiting for her.
Born June 8, 1930, in Shenandoah, Virginia, she was the daughter and only child of the late Thomas Edgar Staples and Ruth Rothgeb Staples. She was born in the family home, a working farm, where her mother Ruth was also born, raised and remained until her death in 2007. Anne was raised by her parents, as well as her late grandparents Annie L. and Ulysses G. Rothgeb. As the daughter of a teacher, she developed an early appreciation of education, learning, and hard work that carried throughout her life.
She graduated as Salutatorian from Page County High School, and went on to get her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the College of William & Mary. After graduating college, she moved to Charlottesville and worked in the blood bank at the University of Virginia Hospital. While in Charlottesville, she met and married Sewell Marshall Hobson, II., and together they moved to Portland, Maine where her two children were born. After divorcing, she moved back to Shenandoah, Virginia for two years before finally making her way back to Charlottesville and making it home for her and her children. She eventually became the manager of the Hematology Department at the University of Virginia Hospital, where she worked for three decades before retiring. During her time at the Hospital, she went back and received her MBA in her 50’s before retiring. After retiring, she focused on the things she enjoyed: swimming at the local ACAC, attending and subsequently teaching Tai Chi classes at the Senior Center, seeing as many Live from the Met Opera performances as she could, traveling the world to places like Jerusalem, China, Italy, and Egypt to name a few of her favorites, and spending all the time possible with her children and grandchildren.
She was an active member of the Charlottesville Orchid Society (CHAOS) where she won many awards, and the Charlottesville Astronomical Society (CAS) which fed her love of astronomy and space.
She is survived by her son, Sewall Marshall Hobson, III. and her daughter, Dana Hobson Cummings of Mechanicsville, Virginia; and two grandchildren, Matthew and Emily Cummings.
Friends and Family are invited to Hill & Wood Funeral Service, 201 North First Street Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 on Thursday, August 3, 2023 from 6-8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at Meadows Presbyterian Church, 2200 Angus Road Charlottesville, Virginia 22901 on Friday, August 4, 2023 at 11 a.m. After the funeral service, everyone is invited to the church fellowship hall for a reception - light refreshments and beverages will be provided. Burial will be private in Shenandoah, Virginia immediately following the reception.
The family would like to thank the staff at James River Hospice for their support over the last two years and the staff at Alpha House for the wonderful care you provided the last seven years. You treated and loved Anne like family and we are eternally grateful for that blessing.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the Alzheimer’s Association or I AM ALS to support the fight to end Alzheimer’s, Dementia and ALS.
Condolences may be shared with her family on the Tribute Wall.
