Nekita Ora Hobson

Our community lost a pillar on Friday, November 2, 2018, when Mrs. Nekita "Nicki" Ora Hobson, passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 87. Born January 16, 1931 in Kensington, Oklahoma, Nicki lived a remarkable life and leaves behind a proud and loving legacy in her family, business achievements, and communities to which she belonged.

Nicki was raised in rural Oklahoma, in a log cabin without electricity or running water, until age 11 when her family relocated to Long Beach, California. As a child of the Great Depression, her most vivid early impressions of the west coast were colored by the sudden abundance of fresh produce, especially California oranges. Years later, she would forge a family tradition of serving fragrant, sweet homemade orange rolls on Christmas morning -- a recipe passed along to her children and grandchildren as soon as they could reach the kitchen counter, and who carry on the tradition today.

After finishing high school in Long Beach, Nicki moved south to San Diego, where she resided in Ocean Beach. She was a pioneer for women in education, politics, and business. She earned a degree in Political Science from San Diego State University, and went on to teach Political Science at her alma mater for a period, before shifting her career focus to public relations within the Energy industry. Nicki worked on Nuclear Energy PR for Gulf General Atomic, then moved to Los Angeles while working for US Ecology, and in the early 1990s moved back to San Diego to found Hobson & Co., her own independent consulting business where she managed public affairs, political lobbying, and media training for clients in the Energy sector.

A natural leader and rallying force within the community, Nicki was drawn to local politics and participated in a number of professional and nonprofit organizations throughout her lifetime, including holding membership in CAL-RAD Forum, being a founding member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), serving as Director of Cancer Survivorship - San Diego (a role that made her instrumental in the creation of Cancer Survivor Park at San Diego Bay), serving three terms on the San Diego Grand Jury, serving as a Board Member for the South Vista Community Board, and being a member and president of El Camino Quilters Guild.

Nicki also served as President of the San Diego Track Club. Having fallen in love with marathon running in her late 30's, she went on to hold every women's marathon age group record during her 40's, including a record marathon time of 2 hours, 57 minutes at age 45. She took first place in the Women's Division of the Los Angeles Marathon in 1974 and remained active in running through her early 70s.

Nicki is survived by her loving husband of 38 years, Mr. Richard Hobson; her "greatest accomplishment in life" -- her three children; Mark, Kimberley, and Bradley, along with their spouses, and her 17 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by one brother, Ray Jr., as well as uncle Darrell Sullivan, and aunt Charlene Celsi. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. James Ray Harris Sr. and Mrs. Linnie Ann Gentry, and brothers Travis Harris and Donald "Dee" Joyce Harris.

Nicki was a woman of progressive and inclusive ideals, kind and loving to all she encountered, and worked tirelessly to ensure the wisdom and influence she had earned was used for the greater good. Her legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of all she knew as well as those she reached but never met.

A celebration of life will be held for Nicki December 8, 2018. Event details will be posted at rememberingnickihobson.splashthat.com in the coming weeks.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests her kindness and compassion be continued by making a donation to, or volunteering at the Susan B. Komen Foundation.