Lisa and Pius “Gene” Hobbs lived on and worked a 200-acre, third-generation family farm in Meade County, Kentucky, 42 miles southwest of Louisville. Lisa still lives there. Her son, Jeremy, runs the farm. Gene Hobbs was working for the Meade County Road Department, raking along the edge of a road shortly after noon, when he was run over by a dump truck backing up, killing him upon impact, on December 13, 2016. He was 62. His injuries were so gruesome his casket had to be kept closed at his funeral. Gene and Lisa, high school sweethearts, were married 41 years.
“I have people say, ‘It was meant to be’,” says Lisa. “No it wasn’t. I just shake my head. They believe what they want to believe.