Hubert Hollensteiner Wubben

February 4, 1928 - November 4, 2013

Feb.4, 1928 — Nov. 4, 2013 Hubert Wubben of Corvallis died three months short of his 86th birthday. He was and continues to be greatly loved by his family and all who knew him. Hubert was born in Houston, Texas, to John Hubert and Neola Hollensteiner Wubben, the first of their two sons. The family frequently moved when Hubert was young; his father was a young, enthusiastic Methodist minister. In 1931, they moved from Houston to Joplin, Mo., where Hubert’s brother, Paul, was born. They moved four additional times between 1933 and 1942 before leaving Missouri. They moved to Dolores, Colo., in 1942. Although the town was and remains quite small, it was fondly remembered by Hubert and Paul, a wonderful place offering freedom and great outdoor adventure to the young Wubben brothers. In 1944 the family moved to Fruita. Hubert graduated from Fruita High School in 1946. He continued his education at Mesa Junior College in nearby Grand Junction. In 1948, he transferred from Mesa College to Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa. There he met and wooed his lovely future wife, Shirley Griffith. As youngsters, Hubert and Paul were (strongly) encouraged and instructed in music by their mother, Neola. She was their first piano teacher, starting both sons when they reached their sixth birthday. Hubert never swayed from his love of piano. Paul switched to violin within a few years of beginning piano. The brothers continued playing music regularly, both well into their 80s. At Cornell College, Slim, as he was known during his college years, studied English, journalism and history. He thrived at Cornell, and there discovered his love of academia and his desire to become a history professor. Hubert’s sense of social justice, instilled in him by his outspoken father, drove him to instill in others that same sense of justice through the study of American history. Hubert and Shirley married on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, 1950, with Hubert’s father, John Hubert, officiating. Hubert was deployed to the Korean War on Dec. 7, 1950. He returned to the States in 1953. He was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery behind enemy lines, and remained proud of his time in the military to the end of his life. After returning to the States, he taught high school English and journalism in Oskaloosa and Davenport, Iowa. His daughter, Nancy, was born in 1955. They moved to Iowa City, Iowa, where Hubert both taught at University High School and studied for his doctorate in American history at the University of Iowa. His son, Thomas, was born there in 1958. Hubert completed his doctorate in 1962 and accepted a teaching position at Oregon State University. Hubert loved the little college town and did not move again after arriving in Corvallis. Hubert loved teaching and remained in contact with many former students over his 30-year career at OSU. His book “Civil War Iowa and the Copperhead Movement” was published in 1980. He was awarded the Thomas Meehan Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1992. Hubert loved the rugged mountains of Western Colorado, and was famously proud of his ascent of Longs Peak with his (pregnant) wife and his brother, Paul. He also deeply loved tromping through the hills surrounding northwest Corvallis over his many years here. Hubert played piano for his family and for many OSU events, and was serenaded by the OSU Marching Band once in the early 1970s, outside his home. Jazz standards of the 1940s definitely were his favorite genre. The discipline he gained during the classical training of his early years made a huge contribution to the quality of his life in later years. In 2005 he suffered a massive heart attack and was hospitalized for quintuple bypass surgery. His recovery was complicated by contracting MRSA in the hospital. During his lengthy recovery, he was slowly reacquainted with his beloved piano. Being placed in front of the rehabilitation center’s piano, he began to regain his sense of self as jazz tunes seeped back into his memory. A month into his rediscovery of the piano, his recall of Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C sharp minor returned. As a young pianist, 13-year-old Hubert had decided he wanted to learn the Rachmaninoff piece, but had been discouraged by his teacher. He had decided to teach himself the piece. Due to the efforts of a very stubborn 13-year-old musician, Hubert regained his sense of self and experienced a vigorous recovery 64 years later. Hubert had seven grandchildren. He loved each one dearly. Hubert was heard playing piano the night before he died. His love of music and life itself was a huge gift that he shared with all who met him. He is sorely missed. Hubert was preceded in death by his parents, John Hubert and Neola. He is survived by Shirley, his wife of almost 63 years; Paul, his brother; his daughter, Nancy Herron (Jack); his son, Tom Wubben (Hilda); and his grandchildren, Sophie, Joanna, Sean and Clara Herron, and Evonne, Shirley and Michelle Wubben; as well as by many nieces, nephews and dear friends through the years. Family and friends are invited to a Memorial Service on Monday, April 28, 2014 at 2:00 pm at the Corvallis First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave.