Bruce Hoblitzell (June 25, 1887 – August 11, 1970) was mayor of Louisville, Kentucky from 1957 to 1961. He also served as sheriff of Jefferson County, Kentucky.
Bruce Hoblitzell | |
|---|---|
| 48th Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky | |
| In office 1957–1961 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew Broaddus |
| Succeeded by | William O. Cowger |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 25, 1887 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | August 11, 1970 (aged 83) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Resting place | Cave Hill Cemetery Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Irene Oatley Forbes (m. 1910) |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation |
|
| Nickname | Mr. Hobby |
Early life
editBruce Hoblitzell was born in 1887, in Louisville, Kentucky. He was raised in Louisville and graduated from duPont Manual High School.[1][2] He graduated from the Kentucky Military Institute in 1905.[1][2]
Career
editFrom 1906 to 1912, Hoblitzell worked at the Kentucky Heating Company. He formed the McClellan-Hoblitzell Realty Company with J. A. McClellan in 1912. The company was dissolved in 1919 and became the Bruce Hoblitzell Realtors and Insurance Agency.[1] He was elected sheriff of Jefferson County in 1953. On November 5, 1957, he was elected mayor on the Democratic Party ticket, defeating Republican Robert B. Diehl by about ten thousand votes. He served until November 1961.[1] He was nicknamed "Mr. Hobby".[1]
Hoblitzell was a member of the board and served as president of the Kosair Crippled Children's Hospital for 9 years.[2][3] He also served as president of the Louisville Board of Trade for three years. He was a director of the Louisville Industrial Foundation and was a board member of the Metropolitan Sewer District from 1937 to 1954. He was also a member of the Mayor's War Housing Committee.[2][4] He was president of both the Louisville and Kentucky Real Estate Boards.[2]
Personal life
editHoblitzell married Irene Oatley Forbes of Louisville on January 31, 1910.[2][5] They had a son and two daughters, Bruce Hoblitzell Jr., Mrs. Leo K. Broecker and Mrs. Charles Greenwood.[1][2] As of 1953, he lived at 1415 St. James Court in Louisville.[2]
Hoblitzell suffered a stroke in December 1962 and remained bedridden. He died on August 11, 1970, at his home in Louisville. Hoblitzell was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.[1]
Awards
editIn 1956, Hoblitzell received the Kentucky Medical Association's Auxiliary's first health citation award for his work with the Kosair Crippled Children's Hospital and "for promoting the health and welfare of the prisoners at the Jefferson County jail" while he was sheriff.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Bruce Hoblitzell, Former Louisville Mayor, Dies". The Courier–Journal. August 12, 1970. p. 3. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Democrats Persuade Bruce Hoblitzell, Sr., To Run for Sheriff". The Courier-Journal. June 11, 1953. p. 17. Retrieved July 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Bruce Hoblitzell is Honored by State Medical Auxiliary". The Courier-Journal. September 20, 1956. p. 24. Retrieved July 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Here Are Candidates for City of Louisville Posts in Next Tuesday's Election". The Courier-Journal. November 3, 1957. p. 69. Retrieved July 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Miss Irene Forbes..." The Courier-Journal. February 1, 1910. p. 4. Retrieved July 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
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