Ann Hobson Obituary

Mother, Nurse, Benefactress

October 24, 1938-October 29, 2023

Ann Dalziel Hobson of Big Sur, California, passed away just after her 85th birthday on the island of Maui, surrounded by all of her children. The positivity and no-nonsense manner for which she was well known carried her through to the very end, as a graceful example that lives on.

Ann grew up in Berkeley, California, the eldest of the six children of Mary and Donald Dalziel. Knowing her calling from early on, Ann earned a Registered Nursing Degree from Mt. Zion Hospital School of Nursing in San Francisco in 1961. As a student nurse at the hospital, she met a young doctor named Timothy Hobson, who would become her husband. They settled in Carmel, CA, and soon had four children and a busy household. With subsequent moves to Eureka, CA, Rawlins, WY, and finally Gillette, WY, Ann and Tim raised their kids and both worked many years at Campbell County Memorial Hospital. After their children were grown, they moved back to Big Sur, California, where they built for themselves a beautiful home high above the ocean with a captivating view over the Pacific. It was a place Ann grew to love that mirrored her strong and independent spirit.

As an RN, Ann's nursing career spanned decades and she worked in and managed all hospital departments. She consulted with several Wyoming hospitals to prepare for their Joint Commission Accreditation, a major undertaking. She was also involved in setting up the Campbell County Hospital Psychiatric Unit. While living in Carmel, Ann earned a certificate in transcribing books into Braille, and when she later moved to Big Sur was certified as a Hospice Nurse and became a companion for several AIDS patients. After retiring from nursing, Ann continued to work many decades as a nanny and an office manager.

Ann was a gourmet and had a passion for cooking and entertaining. She also loved reading, puzzles, music, and sports. In recent decades, she always had a beloved Akita inu who accompanied her everywhere. Above all, Ann was a devoted mother, grandmother, and homemaker and was extremely loyal to her family, often adventuring across the country or the world to see them. And every year she would gather her family around her at Stinson Beach, CA, keeping family connections strong. Ann was a woman who trusted in and loved God and also loved to give gifts generously and extravagantly. She will be remembered gratefully by the multitude of people that she blessed and the many lives touched by the strength of her spirit through the years.

Ann left behind four children: Philippe Thayer Hobson and his wife Stacey, Michele Hobson Chamberlin, Peter Donald Hobson and his wife Katherine, and Hilary Hobson Ker and her husband David, as well as eleven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Those who would like to give a gift in Ann's honor are encouraged to follow her lead and donate generously to a worthy cause. Three such organizations that were close to her heart and would be a fitting tribute are:

Big Sur Health Center-bigsurhealthcenter.org

Little Zebra Books-littlezebrabooks.com

FINCA-finca.org