Rose Minnie Hubbard

Rose Hubbard was born October 3, 1923 in Kelly Kansas to Rose Lena Metzger and Frank Michael Shump.  The youngest of 11 children, Rose was very proud of her 7 brothers and 3 sisters: Amelia, August, Pauline, Henry, Valentine, Raphael, Peggy, Lawrence, Karl, and Frank.  As a child, Rose grew up on a farm where her father raised horses, cows, pigs, chickens, and her mom had a huge garden.  Rose and her mother later moved into Sabetha where Rose attended and graduated from high school.

When Rose graduated from high school, there were few job opportunities in Sabetha.   So, she headed to Denver Colorado to be with her dear sister Pauline.  But, it didn’t take her long to decide she did not want to work in a laundromat.  Rose then took a bus to California to be with her sister Peggy.

On her very first day in CA, Rose went to the Pike and road the famous Cyclone rollercoaster.   It was from the top of the rollercoaster that she saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time!  She made the decision to stay in CA and made it her home for the next 72 years.

Before she knew it, Rose was working with her sister at DAC as a riveter during WW II.   During the war she was a true “Rosie the Riveter”.    While working on the aircraft line riveting, she met a handsome young man named Buster that became the love of her life.   To hear her tell the story, it was quite comical…..  “I never had anything and this fellow came and sat on my toolbox.  It made me dam mad.”   Buster must have had a lot of nerve and asked Rose if she and her girlfriend would go out with him and his friend.  She agreed, and told her friend to go with Buster, and she would date his friend.  Well, that was until Rose saw the friend, then she decided she would to go out with Buster.  The rest is history.

Rose and Buster married in 1944.  They made many friends in the early years and the friendships lasted a life time.  One of the more special friendships was with Dr. Bill and Lorraine Kimple and their 2 sons, Michael and Robert.

Rose and Buster had 3 children.  Frank Alma, was born in November 1944.   Frank wan an only child for 7 years.

In 1952, they decided to buy their first and only home on Fidler Avenue in Lakewood.  It was one of the proudest days in their lives.  That was another good story.  When it came time to close, the monthly payments had increased by .50.  They were not sure they could afford the higher monthly payments!!   But, as determined as they were, they bought the house and found a way to make those payments.

This cute 2 bedroom home had a nice big back yard in a lovely neighborhood.  Soon after moving into their new home, Rose learned she was pregnant with a second child.  Rosalie was born in February 1952.  Then, 2 ½ years later, Janet Lynn was born in July 1954.

Well, that cute little 2 bedroom home was now too small for this growing family, so they decided to add a den.   It turns out that the den became the center of the Hubbard family home.  Over the next 65 years, that den was used for the neighborhood bunco and poker games, Birthday, Easter, Thanksgiving Christmas and New Year Eve celebrations.  Rose was quite the organizer.  She loved to cook and entertain!!  She will be remembered for her delicious cheese cake, baked beans, macaroni salad and special meat loaf to name a few.

Rose was raised Catholic with strong family values.  As she raised her own family, she taught her children to be responsible and work hard.  She exhibited the same values in everything she did.  She was always protective of her children, but never hesitated to discipline them when it was needed ad she never told us “Wait until you father gets home.”   She did the same with the neighborhood children who spent a lot of time in her home.

Over the years, the neighborhood families became very close.  Neighbors included:  Joanie & Jerry Remine, Phyllis & Bob Adams, Katy & Walt Gross, Lucille and Darryl Hays, Berna and Cliff Parker, Gene & Adele Compton, Dorothy & Paul McGriff, Ruth & Earl Hulka, Thelma & Bud Ray, Marlene & Fred Froyd and Nancy Eden.

There are many good memories from the early years including swimming in Katy’s pool, eating   pancakes made by Darryl, and the fish fries at the Parkers!!  In her later years, Rose enjoyed the trips to Vegas and Tahoe to gamble.  Rose had an uncanny ability to win at cards, Yahtzee, and dominoes.  She came from a family of card players and having learned from her 7 brothers, she was hard to beat.

As the years went by, Rose continued her close relationship with her sister Peggy and family.    Rose is fondly remembered as “Aunt Rose” by Peggy’s children, JoAnn, Shirley and Joe Heckel.

After her kids were in high school, Rose went back to work at McDonnell Douglas as a Production Control Clerk for the MD80 & MD90 in Landing Gear and Hydraulics.  She retired from McDonnell Douglas with 30 in 1987.  During this time she made many more friends including Margie Finken, Roach, Hal and Sarge to name a few.

When her children grew up, Frank married Jeannie Witt and gave her 2 granddaughters, Kristine and Paige.  Janet married John Henry Enders III and gave her 2 grandsons, John IV and Keith.  Rosalie married William Alsup and did not give her any more grandchildren.  Rose was very proud of her grandchildren and as they started families of their own, she dearly loved her great-grandchildren: Courtney, Jacob, Ethan, Benjamin, Isabella and Johnny V.

Even though Rose had moved away from her other brothers and sisters, the Hubbard family made many trips back east to see them all and she remained in contact with their families.  Rose was the last remaining sibling.

During her 30 years of retirement, Rose remained very active.  She joined the Regina’s and learned to play Pinochle.   She made many more new friends, Anna and Sheila to name a few.

The last 8 years were hard for Rose.  After 3 falls and 2 hip surgeries, she needed 24 hour care.  As you can imagine, Rose dearly loved her home on Fidler where she had lived since 1951.  She did not want to move into a long term care facility.  So, Janet moved in with Rose to keep an eye on her.  When Janet passed away in Feb 2015, Rosalie moved in with Rose.   During this time, Rose had 2 wonderful caregivers, Cynthia and Cora that took care of her during the day.  When Rosalie retired in April 2016, she and her husband Bill took Rose to live with them in Hawaii.

Rose was very happy in her Hawaii retirement home.  She was waited on hand and foot, and was spoiled rotten.  She started every day with a good bacon, egg and hash brown breakfast, watched the western channel which she loved, and looked out at an incredible view of the Pacific Ocean from her living room chair.  Rose loved watching the birds, smelling ginger flowers and watching red & orange hibiscus, banana, papaya and other trees grow.

Rose was just 5 short weeks away from her 93 ^rd birthday when she passed away.   She is now back home in California and will be laid to rest next to her love, Buster who passed away 38 years ago.

Please join us for services, burial and a gathering at her home to celebrate her wonderful life.