Obituary of Helen Hubbard

Helen May Hubbard was born July 18, 1927 in Lawton, Oklahoma.  She was the oldest of two children. During her childhood years her family moved from Oklahoma farm life to find work following the dam construction going on in the west, landing in Grand Coulee, WA as well as Fresno, CA before returning to farm life in Oklahoma.

Helen met Gene at the business college in Lawton where she was a student and Gene was one  of her instructors.  They were married on April 15, 1950.  Gene and Helen resided in Oklahoma initially with a stay in Nurnberg, Germany where Gene was stationed in 1950, then moved to California in the 1960’s where they finished raising their three children.  Helen was active in school and church activities, and would at times work as a school secretary.  

In 1976 Gene retired and Helen and Gene moved from Walnut Creek, CA to Gridley, CA where they purchased a 5-acre property which they developed into a Kiwi vineyard as well as lovely fruit, vegetable, and flower gardens.  In 1990 they sold the property and spent a couple of years travelling the US in their motorhome before settling in Ardmore, OK to be near Gene’s sisters.  Here they spent 18 years (the longest they ever lived in one place), improving the landscaping and working with the plants they loved, while heading to the Florida, California, or the Rio Grande Valley of Texas during the winter.  In 2010 Gene and Helen decided to move to Oroville to be near their daughter and grandchildren.

Helen is survived by her sister Doris Chavez; three children, Cecil Hubbard of Florida, Linda Saghy of Oroville, CA, and Thomas Hubbard of Chico, CA; two grandchildren, Christine (Dan) Harvey, and Andrew Saghy of Oroville, CA; and six great grandchildren.

Helen’s Farewell Funeral Service will be held on Friday, April 26 at 1:00 pm at Oroville Funeral Home, 1454 Montgomery St. Oroville, California.  A Reception will follow at Carriage Manor Clubhouse ~ 5660 Calash Dr., Oroville. Private burial will take place at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon California.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Samaritan’s Purse.

Arrangements are entrusted to Oroville Funeral Home (530) 533-0323.