Gordon Neville Hobson

Our legendary father made his final "flight" aged 96 on Tuesday, July 11th in Victoria B.C. He made us laugh and drove us mad in equal measure, and lived Life Writ Large and energetically. We shall miss his flashes of spontaneity and exuberance, his courage and wisdom, his irreverence and sense of the ridiculous, and his indomitable spirit.
One of the last of a generation who fought in WWII (whose experiences are difficult to imagine), Gordon joined the R.A.F. and became a fighter pilot in the 616 Squadron, flying Spitfires and later going on to fly the first fighter jets (Gloucester Meteors). This led him to a meeting and a handshake with Sir Winston Churchill. These were formative years, and left Gordon with a self-discipline and "try anything" attitude that he maintained for his lifetime. After the war, he immigrated to Canada and worked as a journalist, public relations officer, and a flight instructor. A chance encounter led him to pursue higher education, and he attained a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta in 1961. He became a professor of psychology at the University of Victoria in its early days, which he enjoyed until retirement.
As a young man, Gordon played soccer for several Victoria teams, and played cello in a string quartet. After retirement he played in the Victoria Civic Orchestra until his late 80's. Throughout his life he read widely and engaged in many creative pursuits including wood-carving, drawing and poetry.
Gordon met our mother, Helen (Kit) Morris, at a Royal Jubilee Hospital Nurses' dance in Victoria. They had many happy years raising their two daughters Penny and Jennifer, and playing together (music, tennis, walking, hiking, sailing), until Kit's untimely death in 1992 at age 62.
Gordon is predeceased by Kit, his sister Jean Keddie, and his second wife Pauline. He is survived by daughters Penny Hobson-Underwood (Derek) and Jennifer Hobson Roy (Anthony), nephew Ian Keddie (UK), grandchildren Devlan, Simon, Michael, Thomas and Sophie, and great grandchildren Isla, Violet, Ben.