Catherine Hubbs

Catherine Hubbs was born October 7, 1922 and passed from this life on April 8, 2022. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University during World War II. She then completed an early childhood fellowship program at Mills College. At Mills she saw an advertisement requesting volunteers at a Japanese-American relocation center. After she was trained at the Los Angeles YWCA, she was sent to Topaz Relocation Center in Delta, Utah. She served in the summer of 1945, caring for and teaching the Japanese-American children. After the war, she taught preschool in Oakland from 1945-1947 and then attended the University of California – Berkeley to study library science. During her post-war time in northern California, she attended the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, pastored by the Rev. Howard Thurman, later a mentor of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Upon completing her library science degree, she was hired as a reference librarian at Stanford University. There she met Clark Hubbs, a young ichthyologist who had served in the Pacific theatre during World War II. They married in September 1949 and spent their honeymoon driving to the University of Texas at Austin, where he had been hired as a new faculty member.

When her children were young, she served as the brownie scout troop leader for both daughters and accompanied her husband and the young family on many trips throughout the southwestern U. S. When all her children were out of elementary school, she enrolled at UT-Austin to complete her teacher certification. For many years, she was the librarian at Pearce Junior High School. She was a member of the Congregational Church of Austin from 1949 until her death. She taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, and, for many years, wrote the church newsletter. Following her retirement from Pearce, she taught English literacy to Spanish-speaking residents of Austin and served those in need as a volunteer at the Capital Area Food Bank (now, Central Texas Food Bank).

She is survived by her three children, Laura, John (Doris), and Ann (David Weissman). She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Aaron, Aidan (Felipe), Eric (Erika), and Adam, and her four great-grandsons. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years and her son-in-law, David Tait. She loved everyone and her death has saddened all who know her.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Congregational Church of Austin (https://congregationalchurchofaustin.org/) or to the Central Texas Food Bank (https://www.centraltexasfoodbank.org/).