| Doreen Rose Kathleen Hoback |
| September 20, 1927 ~ October 29, 2011 |
| Bella Vista, Arkansas |
Doreen Rose Kathleen Hoback of Bella Vista, Arkansas passed away on Saturday, October
29, 2011 at 8:24 p.m. at the age of 84. She was born on September 20, 1927 in London,
England and was the daughter of the late, Issac William and Maude Elizabeth (Pash) Osborne.
She grew up and attended schools, in the West Ham Borough of the East End district, in London
during the later part of the 1920’s to early 1940. Her father Bill Osborne worked for a shipping
firm on the loading docks next to the River Thames. He was the supervisor for the stevedores
that loaded English goods aboard ships that were exported to other countries. This firm was
owned by a member of the British House of Lords and on a day of good fortune, offered her
father the position as his chauffeur just prior to the retirement of the previous one. Her father’s
acceptance would affect the remainder of Doreen’s life.
The Battle of Britain occurred during World War II and began September 7, 1940 through May
10, 1941. The city of London was bombed on 76 consecutive nights, destroying over one
million London homes and killing over 20,000 city inhabitants by the German Luftwaffe. Doreen
reported that her parents, two sisters and she would run more than six blocks every night to get
to the tunnels of the subway to avoid the bombs when the sirens began. Many nights they ran
while the bombs exploded around them. The following mornings they would help the wounded
and assist in removing the dead. Many of the dead were friends she grew up with and these
memories remained with Doreen the rest of her life.
By the fall of 1941, her father’s employer moved his family to his country estate, 120 miles
Northwest of London near a village called Langham. Doreen’s family went with them where her
father spent his time farming the land where they lived. By the fall of 1942, Richard Hoback’s
Infantry unit arrived in England and was stationed at Camp Burley seven miles from Langham.
His unit was assigned temporary duty as military police guarding captured German POW’s. One
particular Saturday, Richard was riding a bicycle and saw Doreen walking on the road carrying
fresh produce. He offered her a ride; she accepted and took her the two miles to where she
lived. At that meeting with her parents, Richard convinced them into courting their daughter
while being chaperoned.
Richard participated in the Normandy invasion when he parachuted into France on June 6,
1944. He was shot in the left leg just prior to landing and was later transferred to a French
hospital in Paris. He was returned to Camp Burley for rehabilitation because of the continuing
war. On October 31, 1944 Doreen and Richard were married in Saint Ceeds Church in
London. As they were leaving the church for their wedding reception, a V2 bomb flew over
their heads and landed near the church and exploded killing one of her uncle’s. During the spring
of 1946, Doreen immigrated to the United States aboard a troop transport ship with over 3,000
other war brides. Any adversity they experienced together in life was small in comparison to the
events they lived through during their courtship.
She was preceded in death by her husband former Bentonville Mayor Richard Hoback and one
grandson, Stephen Dale Hoback.
Doreen is survived by her older sister, Joyce Coull of Windsor, England one younger sister,
Gillian Fay of Huntington Beach, CA, one daughter, Carol Hunter of Pea Ridge, AR, three
sons, 1SG (Ret) Richard Hoback of Pea Ridge, AR Ray (Trish) Hoback of Bella Vista, AR
and CWO (Ret) Dale (Shirley) Hoback of Bentonville, AR. She also leaves behind twelve
grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren and two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Jay (Nancy)
Hoback of Bentonville AR and Mrs. Ray (Norma) Hoback of Pea Ridge, AR with many nieces
and nephews.
Funeral Services are being conducted by Stockdale Funeral Services of Rogers, AR. Visitation
will be on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 between 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and a celebration of her
life will be conducted on November 3, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. officiated by Reverend Michael
Callahan. Both events are at Stockdale Funeral Services, 2898 West Walnut Rogers, AR (479)
631-1353.
29, 2011 at 8:24 p.m. at the age of 84. She was born on September 20, 1927 in London,
England and was the daughter of the late, Issac William and Maude Elizabeth (Pash) Osborne.
She grew up and attended schools, in the West Ham Borough of the East End district, in London
during the later part of the 1920’s to early 1940. Her father Bill Osborne worked for a shipping
firm on the loading docks next to the River Thames. He was the supervisor for the stevedores
that loaded English goods aboard ships that were exported to other countries. This firm was
owned by a member of the British House of Lords and on a day of good fortune, offered her
father the position as his chauffeur just prior to the retirement of the previous one. Her father’s
acceptance would affect the remainder of Doreen’s life.
The Battle of Britain occurred during World War II and began September 7, 1940 through May
10, 1941. The city of London was bombed on 76 consecutive nights, destroying over one
million London homes and killing over 20,000 city inhabitants by the German Luftwaffe. Doreen
reported that her parents, two sisters and she would run more than six blocks every night to get
to the tunnels of the subway to avoid the bombs when the sirens began. Many nights they ran
while the bombs exploded around them. The following mornings they would help the wounded
and assist in removing the dead. Many of the dead were friends she grew up with and these
memories remained with Doreen the rest of her life.
By the fall of 1941, her father’s employer moved his family to his country estate, 120 miles
Northwest of London near a village called Langham. Doreen’s family went with them where her
father spent his time farming the land where they lived. By the fall of 1942, Richard Hoback’s
Infantry unit arrived in England and was stationed at Camp Burley seven miles from Langham.
His unit was assigned temporary duty as military police guarding captured German POW’s. One
particular Saturday, Richard was riding a bicycle and saw Doreen walking on the road carrying
fresh produce. He offered her a ride; she accepted and took her the two miles to where she
lived. At that meeting with her parents, Richard convinced them into courting their daughter
while being chaperoned.
Richard participated in the Normandy invasion when he parachuted into France on June 6,
1944. He was shot in the left leg just prior to landing and was later transferred to a French
hospital in Paris. He was returned to Camp Burley for rehabilitation because of the continuing
war. On October 31, 1944 Doreen and Richard were married in Saint Ceeds Church in
London. As they were leaving the church for their wedding reception, a V2 bomb flew over
their heads and landed near the church and exploded killing one of her uncle’s. During the spring
of 1946, Doreen immigrated to the United States aboard a troop transport ship with over 3,000
other war brides. Any adversity they experienced together in life was small in comparison to the
events they lived through during their courtship.
She was preceded in death by her husband former Bentonville Mayor Richard Hoback and one
grandson, Stephen Dale Hoback.
Doreen is survived by her older sister, Joyce Coull of Windsor, England one younger sister,
Gillian Fay of Huntington Beach, CA, one daughter, Carol Hunter of Pea Ridge, AR, three
sons, 1SG (Ret) Richard Hoback of Pea Ridge, AR Ray (Trish) Hoback of Bella Vista, AR
and CWO (Ret) Dale (Shirley) Hoback of Bentonville, AR. She also leaves behind twelve
grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren and two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Jay (Nancy)
Hoback of Bentonville AR and Mrs. Ray (Norma) Hoback of Pea Ridge, AR with many nieces
and nephews.
Funeral Services are being conducted by Stockdale Funeral Services of Rogers, AR. Visitation
will be on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 between 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and a celebration of her
life will be conducted on November 3, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. officiated by Reverend Michael
Callahan. Both events are at Stockdale Funeral Services, 2898 West Walnut Rogers, AR (479)
631-1353.
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