Philip Hoberecht

Gone Fishing Philip Earl Hoberecht passed away on December 17th 2010, surrounded by his family and faithful pet Dirk. Phil was born on October 12, 1927 in Lakewood Ohio to Leslie and Jessie Hoberecht. He was raised in Lakewood Ohio where he graduated from Lakewood High School. Before Phil was 8 years old his uncle John put a fishing pole in his hands and ever since it has been his favorite pastime. Rocky River was in his backyard and he spent all his free time fishing and enjoying the wildlife#8212;he even found a baby raccoon that he raised. Many wonderful stories about #8220;Tuffy#8221; the raccoon were told by Phil over the years. Phil attended the University of Syracuse and then the University of Missouri majoring in Agriculture with a minor in Fisheries. Upon graduation he attended Officer Candidate School then entered the Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant. Two weeks after his commissioning, he married Barbara Anne Tomey of Lakewood Ohio on September 29, 1951. They then began their Odyssey in the military. Phil and Barbara were first stationed at Lowry A.F. Base in Denver Colorado, allowing them to continue to spend every free moment out exploring and fishing. Lt. Hoberecht spent a short stop at Yorktown, VA training at the Indian School of Mines learning the fine art of underwater explosive defusing. Phil then headed off to Korea with a permanent station at Misawa Japan as an Explosion Ordinance Officer, leaving his pregnant wife behind in Cleveland, Ohio. After the birth of their first child on April 16, 1953, Barbara and their wee daughter Christy joined Phil in Japan. Two years later they returned to Wright Paterson A.F.B. in Dayton, OH. On June 2, 1955 their second child, a son, Kim, joined them. Next stop, Hill A.F.B. in Ogden, Utah, where a second son, David, was born on May 3, 1957. Phil and the family moved to Tachikawa, Japan in the summer of year David was born. Three years later they returned to the U.S. where Phil taught ROTC at University of Wisconsin at Superior. While there, Phil and Barbara#8217;s youngest child, Todd was born on December 19, 1961. Four years later Phil was sent on a remote assignment for a year in Turkey, leaving the family behind in Wisconsin. A year later Barbara and the four children joined Phil in Germany where they lived for one and a half years before moving to Aviano AFB, Italy for another two and a half years. Returning to the U.S., Phil retired from the Air Force and settled the family in Boulder, Colorado. Still wanting to fish new streams, the family headed to Snowmass, Colorado and then found their way further north to the streams of Montana. Phil taught AARP drivers Ed classes for senior citizens for many years, and also helped with the senior income tax at the Senior Center. As a member of American Legion Post at Big Sky he helped put up the white crosses on Highway 191. Yearly he and the vets added new paint and flags to the old crosses for Memorial Day. Phil was a member of Big Sky Christian Fellowship and Peregrinatio Church in Bozeman, where his son Todd was Pastor. He is survived by his beloved wife Barbara, daughter Christy (John) Gervers of Santa Fe, New Mexico; son Kim (Suzy) Hoberecht of Bozeman, David (Laura) Hoberecht of Seattle,WA; and son Todd (former wife Kathleen) Hoberecht of Bozeman. Also, eight grandchildren: Michelle (Boston, MA); Erin (Albuquerque, NM); Arman and Anzhela (Bozeman); Jackson and Leif (Seattle, WA); Corinne (Ryan) Todd and Adam (Bozeman). He is also survived by his only brother Leslie Wilson (Lois) Hoberecht, and two nephews, Mark and Bart Hoberecht. He was preceded in death by his mother Jessie Hoberecht and Father Leslie Hoberecht, two aunts and two uncles. Phil loved Montana and living on the great fishing river of the Gallatin for 31 years. He just walked out the back door and got the night#8217;s dinner; a fisherman#8217;s dream come true. His last stop on his long journey of life ended here in #8220;God#8217;s Country#8221; with a humble little house in the Gallatin Canyon. According to Phil#8217;s wishes he has been cremated and his ashes will be scattered in the streams surrounding his home for his last journey as a fisherman with his beloved friends#8212;his fish. Phil#8217;s memorial will be held Wednesday, December 29th at 1:00 p.m. at the Soldiers Chapel in Big Sky, Montana.