William Hugo Hubert's Obituary
William Hugo Hubert, age 86, entered into eternal rest on January 18, 2026, fortified by the Sacraments of the Holy Church and surrounded by his loving family.
Born on September 2, 1939 in Houston, Texas, William, called either Hugo or Bill depending on how you knew him, was one of five children of George & Helen Hubert. He was raised in the Garden Villas area and went to Stephen F. Austin High School, Class of ‘57. He shared many adventurous tales of his years growing up in Houston including serving as a volunteer firefighter at the age of eleven or traveling to Washington D.C. as a teenager to visit his uncle. From an early age, Bill Hubert was one of a kind and a force to be reckoned with.
At the age of 19, Bill joined the U.S. Army and served for four years as paymaster. It was while stationed abroad in Munich, Germany that Bill met the love of his life, Maria Gerstner. The two met at Hofbrauhaus and the rest was history. William and Maria, or as they would come to be known for many years,, Bill and Mary, were married at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Munich on July 27, 1961. While living in Munich, Bill and Mary welcomed their first child and only son. At the end of 1962 they relocated from Germany to the U.S., settling in Bill’s hometown of Houston. He made it a priority for his wife to visit her family in Germany as often as possible from there on out. Bill and Mary welcomed two more children, both daughters.
Bill was a hardworking man for all of his life. He worked for many years in the pest control business and was owner of The Bug Company until his retirement in 2022. He worked diligently and fairly, always valuing hard work and honesty above anything else. He knew his customers personally and always had a smile to share or a joke to tell. His sense of humor and his earnestness left a valuable impression wherever he went.
Music was one of Bill’s greatest earthly joys. There were few things he enjoyed more than the clever humor and timeless melodies of Gilbert & Sullivan. An avid supporter of the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston, Bill was at every show and every dress rehearsal. As he did anywhere he went, he built strong relationships with those at G & S. Even if someone at a show didn’t know him by name, they would know him as the gentleman that started off every round of applause with a resounding, "Bravo!" He shared his love of Gilbert & Sullivan with his wife, children, and grandchildren, who loved going with him from early childhood well into adulthood.
Another joy of life was his faith. In 2002, Bill was initiated into the Catholic Church. He loved taking his parish priests out to eat as often as possible, a sign of his support and respect for their vocations. He also loved attending Mass at St. Mary’s Basilica in Galveston and he especially loved singing the hymns at church. In 2011, Bill and Mary renewed their vows on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston, with Daniel Cardinal Dinardo presiding.
Over the years, Bill and Mary called many places home. Whether it was Munich or Sugar Land or Boerne or Galveston, they lived somewhere where they could enjoy the view. He will forever be remembered as a loving husband, dad, brother, uncle, grandpa, and Opa. His children and grandchildren made him so proud and he made sure they knew it.
He is preceded in death by his parents, George Arthur Hubert II and Helen Thelma Tuley Hubert, his sisters Barbara Hazelip, Clara Haney, and Helen (Leroy) Lutz, his brother, George (Marty) Hubert III, affectionately known as “Buddy,” and his grandson-in-law, Ryan Scott Phaneuf.
His legacy is carried on by his loving wife of 65 years, Maria Hubert, his three children Mark (Donna) Hubert, Christina (Martin) Murat, and Maria (Duel) Johnson, grandchildren Tyler (Mary) Hubert, Angela (William) Childers, Stefan (Lisa) Murat, Megan (Brandon) Phaneuf Craig, and Katie (Matthew) Maxwell, and great-grandchildren Avila, Siena, William, Virgil, Theodore, Frederick, Leo and George.
Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in his memory to The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston: https://www.gilbertandsullivan.org/support/
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