H. Carrol Hanberry

H. Carrol (Hobie) Hanberry, age 87, passed away early Saturday morning May 21, 2016 at his home. He was born in Bowling Green, KY, on December 14, 1928, son of Hobart and Garnett Young Hanberry.

The family moved to Princeton, Kentucky in his early years but soon moved to Owensboro from which he never planned to move. He truly loved Owensboro and its people.

Education played a big role in his life, beginning in 1934 as a first grader at Longfellow Elementary (Longfellow, Longfellow, the best of all, sits on a hill so very tall, It's aims and hopes we hold so dear; Longfellow, Longfellow let's give it a cheer!) on through graduation from Owensboro High School in 1946, where he was a center on the unbeaten football team of 1945 & 1946. He later entered Georgetown College, graduating in 1951, where he met his wife-to-be Bette Porter. They married on November 21, 1951 and just recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. Carrol and Bette enjoyed traveling, going to Europe, West Coast, Canada, Hawaii and New York City at Christmas.

Carrol served on several boards including the American Association of School Business Officials, board of directors for the American Association of School Administrators, Y.M.C.A., Owensboro Museum of Arts & Sciences, Welfare League, and Alumni Board of Georgetown College. A long-time member of Buena Vista Baptist Church moving to First Baptist in 1985. He was a Sunday School Director, a deacon and a Sunday School teacher and a member of the Gideons.

After a year of service on the front lines of Korea he returned to Owensboro when he was hired as a teacher and coach at Central Junior High. His coaching days were some of his happiest because of the wonderful boys he had the privilege of coaching. He later became principal of Southern Junior High School and served there for many years. Promoted to treasurer and assistant superintendent following "Peanuts" Johnson, he retired in 1985.

Pre-deceased are two sisters, Joyce Faith of Owensboro and Edna Burton of Madisonville, and a grandchild Christopher Williams. Survivors include his wife Bette, three daughters,, Carolyn Price of Bowling Green, Laura Williams (Bill) of Louisville and Nancy Howard (Dr. John) of Frankfort. Six grandchildren survive, Blair Smithson of Owensboro, Ben Smithson of New York City, Matthew Smithson (Julie) of Louisville, Colorado, Nicholas Williams, Andrew Howard and Katie Howard of Louisville. Pall bearers will be Mr. Hanberry's grandchildren. Honorary Pall Bearers will be the Maverick Sunday School Class.

Services will be Thursday at 11:00 a.m. (C.D.T) at First Baptist Church, Owensboro. Visitation will be from 2:00 – 6:00 on Wednesday at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory and from 10:00 to time of service at the church.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to the building fund of First Baptist Church, Baptist Homes for Children or Gideons International.