Obituary of Jeremy David Hobson

It is with immense sadness that we announce the sudden death of our Son, Jeremy David Hobson, at age 43. Jeremy was born in Regina Saskatchewan on 2^nd January 1978 and spent the first 13 weeks of his life in foster care. Wednesday April 5th, the day we brought Jeremy home, was one of great celebration because he was the first grandchild for both sides of the family.

If there was ever a child who should have come with a handbook it was Jeremy. To say he was willful would be an understatement as he resisted our every effort to channel his behavior in a positive direction. How does one argue with a 6 year old who is pretty sure that whatever rules do exist don’t apply to him. He was the kid whose every report card contained the statement “student’s performance does not meet expectations” for every subject except PE and art. He was the kid whose poor mother had to pop Ativan like TicTacs if there was any hope of surviving an afternoon of parent/teacher interviews.

Jeremy fled the nest the minute he finished high school in 1995 and his career in the food industry began shortly thereafter when he got a job washing dishes in Kelowna BC.  With no formal instruction but mentored by men and women with more knowledge than he had, Jeremy rose through the ranks. For Christmas one year Jeremy requested the book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain. This request came as a nice surprise because to my knowledge Jeremy had never willingly read anything. Fascinated by the lurid descriptions of the misbehavior, drugs, sex, rock and roll and more drugs that are part of life behind kitchen doors, Jeremy became a Bourdain acolyte and decided he would closely follow in the renowned chef’s footsteps, however perilous that would prove to be. During Jeremy’s career his work took him to kitchens at resorts in Northern Saskatchewan, in hotels and restaurants, and finally at a mining camp in Rabbit Lake. As Head Chef, Jeremy worked Wednesday to Wednesday with the following week off, training and mentoring his largely Aboriginal staff and serving roughly a thousand meals every day. One of his co-workers at the mine site wrote “the entire mood shifted with Jeremy’s return to camp. He gave us something to look forward to every day. Good lord we sold a lot of Cameco sweatpants once he came back to camp cause we all gained weight. I am one of the lucky ones who got to experience his gift of giving through food!” He made everything from scratch and as much as possible used locally sourced organically produced foodstuffs. He was inventive, loved fusion cooking and seemed to know instinctively what flavours to pair, what herbs and spices would best enhance the dish he was preparing.

Jeremy was also a talented artist and many of his pictures grace the walls of the family home. He would entertain his friends and co-workers by singing Neil Diamond songs, Cracklin’ Rosie being the most requested number in his repertoire. He played soccer throughout his elementary and secondary school years and as an adult, on club teams, school teams and the under 17 Saskatchewan team.

Jeremy truly loved people and he was a loyal friend. If asked to help he was there in a heartbeat and despite his own struggles was always willing to listen. He was handsome, charismatic and gentlemanly. His smile could light up a room. He enjoyed cooking for his friends and family and could turn dinner into an occasion. He was very sentimental, his favourite movie On Golden Pond, watched a dozen times.  He had many friends, of every race, ethnicity and persuasion, and he was kind and respectful to everyone. His relationship with Steven Weimer and Shayne Cox began in Kindergarten and lasted all of Jeremy’s life. The three of them stood together through thick and thin.

Jeremy is survived by his father David, mother Nancy, sister Jessica, uncles Basil and George, aunts Jeannine and Joanne and cousins Matthew and Sara. He was predeceased by grandparents Doris and Leo Hobson, Lillian and Ted Carpenter and his hero, uncle David McArthur.

At this time no Service or Celebration of Life is planned.  In lieu of flowers the Family would appreciate donations in Jeremy’s memory be made to The Lighthouse (www.lighthousesaskatoon.com) or The Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation (https://telemiracle.com).