John Grant Hubbard's Obituary
John Grant Hubbard of Dunedin died peacefully at home on May 16, 2015, with his family at his side. He was 74.
Mr. Hubbard, a long-time public servant, was born to Martha Elizabeth Grant Hubbard and Clarence Vernon Hubbard in Carroll, Iowa on March 8, 1941.
Mr. Hubbard is survived by his loving and dedicated family—his wife Barbara and his daughters Katherine, Wendy (Topher), Jennifer (Scott), and Natalie (James). He also leaves a lasting legacy of family, love and life with his six grandchildren: Briggs, Katie, Nathan, Natasha, Cash and Gwyneth.
As an only child, Mr. Hubbard’s cousins Robert (Kathy), Susan (George) and Bill (Shar) played significant roles in his development and sense of family. Huge family gatherings of close and extended relatives were commonplace at the family’s North Carolina mountain home.
Mr. Hubbard, an attorney by profession, began his studies in his beloved hometown of Millstone, N.J. He matriculated with honors from Bucknell University and obtained his Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of Florida School of Law.
After serving five years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Hubbard began his practice as a municipal, real estate and family lawyer in Dunedin in 1971. Mr. Hubbard started his service as Dunedin City Attorney in 1974. Following 37 years as the chief legal counsel to Dunedin, he retired in 2011. In his retirement, Mr. Hubbard volunteered his time to the Guardian ad Litem program, representing children in the courts.
Known for his consummate dedication to his family and his surroundings, Mr. Hubbard brought a similar energy to his law practice, championing the principles of fairness, equity, love of neighbors and dedication to the community as a whole. Mr. Hubbard was a prime advocate for parks and open space, and the Dunedin City Library. His love of books and voracious appetite for the printed word was legendary. He also generously supported the Dunedin Fine Art Center, another of his well-known passions, serving as board member, volunteer and sponsor.
Throughout his professional career, Mr. Hubbard assisted thousands of clients to wend their way through personal legal situations, and was a nationally known expert in municipal procedures, public records law and professional ethics. His talks would often be given to packed houses. A chief architect of public policy that mandates land developers shoulder their fair share of the burden of increased growth, Mr. Hubbard watched with pride as the law spread like “kudzu” throughout the southeast states.
Mr. Hubbard, who was affectionately known as Dunedin’s “Sixth Commissioner,” was famous for his rapid-fire reading of proposed ordinances and was relied upon for the depth and breadth of his legal counsel. In addition to Dunedin, he also served as city attorney to Oldsmar, Belleair Bluffs, Tarpon Springs and Belleair Beach. He was named Florida’s Outstanding Municipal Attorney in 2001
John is loved and will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be sent to: The Dunedin Fine Art Center, The Dunedin Public Library Foundation and The Dunedin Historical Society.
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