Douglas Kenneth Hobbs

Douglas Kenneth "Doug" Hobbs, 67, of Maryville, died Monday, October 8, 2012, at Parkwest Medical Center due to unexpected complications from heart surgery. Doug was born August 10, 1945, in Knoxville. He was the son of Douglas Lee "D. L." Hobbs and Helen Botts Giles. He was a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Maryville. Since 2000, Doug served as a sheriff's deputy and was training center manager at the Blount County Sheriff's Office where his colleagues called him "dedicated" and "hard working." Before his career in local law enforcement, he graduated from University of Tennessee with a degree from the school's first Forestry program and then served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War Era. Doug was also a longtime law enforcement officer for the United States Forest Service in Kentucky, Texas, and the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. He held numerous positions on U.S. federal government taskforces, was the security coordinator for the Olympic Whitewater rafting course at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, and in 2003, was a member of the Space Shuttle Columbia Debris Recovery Team. Doug was an avid outdoorsman, an animal lover, and always felt at home in nature or on the back of his Harley. Doug is survived by his brothers Alan Giles and wife Susie of Maryville, Richard Hobbs and wife Phyllis of Kingston, Ronald Hobbs and wife Janet of Knoxville, Edwin "Ootie" Hobbs and wife Debbie of Knoxville; sisters Sandra Gaskins and husband Kenneth of Knoxville and Kimberly Chadwell and husband Paul of Knoxville; and his many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his stepfather Harold "Doc" Giles of Maryville; his former wife, Loretta Hobbs, and family of Crockett, Texas; and his beloved dogs, Maggie and Scooter. He was preceded in death by his father, Douglas "D. L." Hobbs; his mother, Helen Giles; his stepmother, Christine Hobbs; and his grandparents, Clemmie and Vesta Hobbs and Wendell and Ruth Botts. His family would like to extend a special thank you to Doug's friends, Pastor Greg Long of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church and Chaplain Randy Story of the Blount County Sheriff's Office for all of their support at the hospital and beyond. They would also like to thank Captain Jeff Burchfield of the Blount County Sheriff's Office for all his assistance, the Knox County Sheriff's Office, and Doug's many friends at Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson for their kind thoughts and prayers. Visitation will be held at Smith Trinity Chapel,1402 Tuckaleechee Pike, Maryville, TN 37803 on Saturday, October 13, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Funeral services will also be at Smith Trinity Chapel on Saturday, October 13, at 1 p.m. The burial service will follow at Concord Masonic Cemetery in Farragut,11019 Second Drive, Concord, TN 37934. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Doug's memory to the Blount County Humane Society, 1005 East Broadway, Maryville, TN 37904 or the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, 3736 Tuckaleechee Pike, Maryville, TN 37804. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.SmithMaryville.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Douglas Kenneth Hobbs please visit our Sympathy Store.