| Larry Hubbell ~ December 28, 1939 to December 9, 2015 |
LARRY HUBBELL, MY FRIEND
Larry’s parents and my parents were close friends back in the 1930’s. I suppose Larry and I got to know each other while we were still in diapers.
While they lived in Dundee, and we lived in Newberg we sort of grew up together. My dad’s folks lived across the field from the Hubbell’s. We
did a number of things together including peeling chittum and hunting
squirrels.
In the 8th Grade, the Dundee junior kids were moved to Newberg. It
was great to have all including Larry. We won all of our football games
and most all of the basketball and baseball games.
Larry had a special way with our classmates, especially girls. I was
tongue-tied around girls.
We moved to Coos Bay in 1954, and the Hubbell family moved to Maupin
in 1955(?). We like to go fishing around Bend, and we planned to visit
the Hubbell’s. Larry said to be sure to bring a 22 rifle, and we would
go jack-rabbit hunting.
There was a show in Maupin the first evening, and I think I met Larry’s
future wife (?). Anyway Larry and I loaded up later and went after the
jack’s. We were on a secondary road shooting from a car.
I believe we had dispatched about 15 or so. It was getting late, so we
headed back to Maupin. We came around corner, and there was this
huge jack with short ears in the middle of the road ………..instead it was
a bobcat. Larry threw the car into a slide, and we started shooting on
the roll. The cat went up the cutback with Larry right behind him. It
was my job to get the car turned so the lights would show up the bank.
There was a lot of shouting and directing to get the head lights up the
cut-bank. Larry thought the cat was gone, but on another look he could
see the eyes (I had finally got the car moved correctly). He shot the
bugger between the eyes. And down the cut-bank came Larry dragging
about a 30 pound bobcat. Talk about two 15 year old boys bubbling
over.
We put him in trunk, and got back to Maupin after midnight. Bill,
Larry’s dad didn’t believe two exhilarated 15 year olds, until we
dragged the cat out of the trunk the next morning. Larry scalped him
for the $5 bounty and went to work. It was my chore to bury him in
the hard red clay.
So moving forward, I did not see Larry until the 50th class union at the
park in Newberg (which was two blocks from where we lived). Larry did
not recognized me until I asked him how many bobcats had he shot.
Thanks to Gaynelle and Bill we had a nice lunch.
Fast forward to Halloween 2012, I had called the care home where
Larry was living…….they had setup lunch of us. Once more Larry did not
know me until I used the magic password, bobcat. We had a nice lunch,
and we went down to his room where shared a lot pictures.
Jumping ahead three more years I had learned from the care home and
his sister Sharon that Larry was in serious failing health. I was
planning to hunt on the Columbia out from Boardman on December 5th. I
had checked bases again so my hunting partners had agreed to a short
stop to see Larry.
I had made my mind that when I went to see him that I would be
upbeat. I initially showed him card with a pasted picture of a bobcat –
no recognition. Then I moved across the room and picked up some of
his pictures. When I picked up the one of Larry and his dad, he
started pointing rapidly. About that time Larry’s friend Carmine and
then his sister Sharon showed up. After a visit I sat down by side
Larry once more. And he plainly said BOBCAT to me……then I knew we
had connected. I laid my hand on his chest and said goodbye.
Bob Andrews
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Photo on the left is Bobby Andrews, Larry Hall and Larry Hubbell.
Photo on the right is Larry Hubbell and sisters Sharon and Beverly
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Larry Hubbell (lower right and directly right)
with friends, Roger and Dennis
Memorial Park picnic
July, 2008
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| Click on image to view more 50th Reunion Photos |
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| Click on image to view more 50th Reunion Photos |
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Larry is retired and lives in The Dalles, Oregon.
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