Rev. Elliot J. Hobbs, pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Lakeview, passed away on Nov. 18 at the age of 56.
Hobbs was born on May 20, 1956, the fourth of six brothers and raised by the Late Reverend Ira and Laurine H. Hobbs, in Tallahassee, Florida. Hobbs accepted Christ early in his life. He was baptized into Griffin Chapel P. B. Church, in Tallahassee, Florida, by his grandfather and founder of the church, the Late Reverend John H. Hobbs.
He graduated with honors from Amos P. Godby High School and was distinguished as the Most Valuable In Chorus. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Florida A&M University, School of Business and Industry and was a member of Kappa Iota Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society. Further, he graduated, Summa Cum Laude, from the New Brunswick Theological Seminary with his Master’s of Divinity.
After college graduation, Hobbs left Tallahassee and relocated to New York, where he began an illustrious 34-year banking career at JP Morgan Chase (Chase). As a long-standing Vice President in Community Development Banking at Chase, Hobbs was viewed as a quintessential team member. As the lead for Chase, he facilitated many projects that did so much for many communities and touched many lives.
In 1996, Hobbs was ordained as an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Shortly after his ordination he served as interim Pastor at The Congregational Church of North New in the Bronx, and St. Paul Community Church located in Harlem, respectively. In 2001 Hobbs was appointed pastor of the St. Paul AME Church, Rockville Centre, NY, where he served until he was called to rest on Nov. 18, 2012.
Elliot was preceded in death by his father, Reverend Ira Hobbs. He leaves to mourn, his devoted and loving wife of 26 years, Reverend Eleanor Dixson-Hobbs, two sons, Jonathan and Evan, three daughters, Brandy, Tandi, and Elaina, and three grandchildren, Tyrell, Briana, and Jacob Elliot. In addition, Elliot is survived by his mother, Mrs. Laurine H. Hobbs of Tallahassee, FL; five brothers, Robert Brown (Ann) of Tallahassee, FL, Ira Hobbs (Deborah) of Mitchellville, MD, Reverend Antonio Hobbs (Betty) of Tallahassee, FL, Gregory Hobbs of Tallahassee, FL, and Alvin Hobbs (Kimberly) of Atlanta, GA.; his mother-in-law, Mrs. Earnestine Dixson of Valley Stream, NY; sister-in-law Celestine Booze (Stephan) of Niagara Falls, NY; brother-in-laws Joseph Dixson of Niagara Falls, NY, Samuel Louis Dixson of Charleston, SC and his beloved aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. Elliot will be sorely missed as the beloved Pastor of the St. Paul AME Church and by hundreds of friends and colleagues who cherished his friendship and loved him dearly.
Funeral services were held Sunday, Nov. 25, at The Greater Allen AME Cathedral in Jamaica. The Interment service was held Monday at Pinelawn Memorial Park, in Farmingdale.
