Jean Hobbs

Melva Jean Hobbs, a resident of Hobbs, slipped peacefully into the arms of Jesus on January 15, 2024. Born December 16, 1938 in Brownfield, Texas and raised in Portales, NM, Jean was the third child of the family and grew up to be an elementary school teacher. She spent twenty-five years teaching second, third, and fourth grades at North Elementary School in Alamogordo, NM. Upon retiring, she moved to Cloudcroft and worked in the Copper Butterfly and as a substitute teacher for Cloudcroft Schools before retiring again. 

A faithful member of First Baptist Church in Alamogordo, Jean raised two children, Kristopher and Karla, both of whom presented her with grandchildren. She became a member of Cloudcroft Church of Christ when she moved there in 1995. In 2009, Jean moved to Hobbs and became a member of First Baptist Church as well as the Crosswinds Community Church Friday night Fork Gang. 

Jean didn’t start quilting until she was over seventy-two years old, and was a great influence in her quilting crowd. She taught women how to machine piece quilt tops, cut fabric pieces accurately, and opened her home to anyone who wanted to learn. She became known for mentoring Karla’s quilting friends, who eventually became extra daughters who called her “Mom.” She referred to them as “her girls”. 

Being the extra mother was something she did most of her life. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Jean took grown people under her wing and became the mom many wished they’d had growing up. She meted out love constantly and discipline when it was needed. Her “green-eyed mom look” resulted in many sheepish apologies and “yes, ma’ams” from those same grownups who grew to appreciate the Mom-love she freely served up at the kitchen table along with meatloaf, chicken noodle soup, or some other tasty meal.  

Jean worked at USW as a library aide from 2010 to 2020, and retired a third time at eighty-one years old. Students would show up at the library on a regular basis to visit and get a little advice or a warm smile from “Ms. Jean.” 

Jean was preceded in death by her son, Kristopher Don Creed of Alamogordo and Cloudcroft, both of her parents, Buford and Francis Hobbs of Portales, two sisters: Winona Joyce of the family home and Barbara Pyell of Albuquerque. She is survived by daughter Karla Humphrey and husband Loren of Hobbs, two siblings, Wanda Snodgrass of Ocean Shores, WA and brother Melvin Hobbs and wife, Joan, of Burleson, Tx, three grandchildren, Elizabeth Harrison of San Antonio, Tx, Kassandra Creed of Lexington, KY, and Sean Creed of Knoxville, TN, nine nieces and nephews and their families as well as many friends and other loved ones. 

The time for flowers has passed. Instead, go to www.kidney.org, take the quiz to learn if you are susceptible to kidney disease, then donate in Jean’s name to the National Kidney Foundation for the research of chronic kidney disease.