It has been announced that Standardbred horseman J.W. 'Gary' Hobbs, 75, passed away on April 3, 2020 while under the care of Hospice Buffalo.
Born April 8, 1944, in London, Ont., Gary is the cherished son of Morley and Reta (nee Patton) Hobbs; loving husband of Victoria Obrochta; devoted father to Gary (Reagan) Hobbs and Josh (Jill) Obrochta; proud grandpa to several grandchildren; former spouse and friend of Barb Sullivan; and loyal friend to so many.
Gary was a referee for local Junior Hockey and a member of NYSHOA. He also played hockey in several men's and senior men's Leagues before retiring his skates. Gary was a Buffalo Sabres ticket holder for many seasons and proudly sang both national anthems. He never felt too old to try or learn something new and even started guitar lessons at 67.
Gary's biggest passion in life was working with Standardbreds, and he spent countless hours driving and training stock. He raced Standardbreds at multiple raceways across Canada and the United States and was well respected by all. Gary was a member of the WNY Harness Horsemen's Association and the United States Trotting Association.
Gary always had a joke to tell or a good story to share -- whether it be about his youth playing pond hockey, his brief stint as a boxer and racecar driver, his days as a field technician working for Com-Doc, or his youth growing up in Canada. Gary was a 'proud lefty' and true supporter of 'Make America Great Again.' He loved driving his truck and never passed up a chance to share a cup of Tim Hortons coffee with a friend.
There weren't many old classic country songs that Gary couldn't sing along with word for word. He took pride in teaching Gary and Josh the value of life: to be honest, work hard (smart) and have gratitude. He always preached to them about removing their hats inside, to keep their shoes shined, to stand up tall and keep their hands out of their pockets, and how to tie a good knot in their ties.
Gary's retirement days were spent doing what he loved most: shooting pool or playing euchre at the Orchard Park Senior Center, where he developed many close friendships. He enjoyed having lunch on Mondays with the guys at the car lot and stopping by the tack shop at the Hamburg Raceway, just to say hello. Gary also loved visiting with his horse friends on a Saturday morning and engaging in 'the good conversation.' He enjoyed talking on the phone with his friends and loved spending quality time with his family, often over an ice-cream cone.
Gary always gave it his all and tried to inspire his family and friends to be their best self with his positive attitude. He was famous for saying 'drive on and keep your stick on the ice.'
A celebration of Gary's life will be held at a later time and date.
Gary donated his body to the University at Buffalo Anatomical Gift program.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Gary Hobbs.
(With files from The Buffalo News)
This is sad news and comes as
This is sad news and comes as a real shock to me. Gary started working for me when I started in the business at Western Fair Raceway in the early 70's. He stayed with me for several years at London,Windsor Raceway,Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs before settling down in the Buffalo area. You could not have asked for a better or more dedicated and loyal man. We had great success in racing throughout those years and we became good friends.I was best man at his wedding. This obituary describes Gary to a tee and exactly the way I remember him all those years ago. He introduced me to his country music, car racing and getting up at 5 o'clock in the morning. Ann and I offer our heartfelt condolences to Gary's family and friends.