Spencerport, NY: July 18, 1950 – January 13, 2021. Dave is finally at peace after an extended illness and reunited in Heaven with parents Marian Liddy Hibbs and Earle L. Hibbs, and niece Lisa Cody.
Survived and mourned by his wife of 35 years, Charlene Stover Hibbs, his brothers in-law Ronald and Donald Stover and his siblings Rick (Bridgett) Hibbs, Nancy (Mark) Cody and Steve Hibbs (Meegan Colling).
“Uncle D” will also be missed by nieces and nephews Deanna (Drew) Mullins, Jon (Kristine) Cody, Brennan Cody, Rae (Jake) Lesio, Stephanie (Tim) Bower, Shawn Hibbs, and Jessica (Jim) Rafferty.
Also missed by grand nieces and nephews Olivia and Mackenzie Mullins, Ethan, Liam and Ava Cody, Emma Lesio, Ashley Bower, Landon and Reed Rafferty.
A lifelong resident of the Rochester, NY area, Dave was well travelled and had a passion for history, the Civil War, and genealogy. A friend to animals, Dave will also be missed by 7 cats and dog Spanky. Most of all, Dave will be remembered for his kind heart and terrific sense of humor.
David’s Visitation will be held Saturday, January 16th, 10AM-11AM at Arndt Funeral Home, 1118 Long Pond Road (South of Maiden Lane). Interment will be held privately.
What is a brother?
From the age of three to seven, David and Rick were best friends growing up on Britton Road in the town of Greece. They played with neighbor kids, watched Saturday cartoons and westerns and he pretty much did what his big brother told him.
The summer of ’54 changed, because our sister Nancy came along, and being the girl our mother had been wanting all along, the boys felt like they took a back seat in the parental interest department. We got our own upstairs rooms in a newly finished remodel of the attic done by our Dad. We really liked that!
When Steve came along the family needed to move to a larger house, and moved to Durkar lane. The boys lost their private upstairs, but gained a woods behind the house!! Dave and Rick spent many an hour playing in those woods, reenacting the exploits of TV heroes like Francis Marion, “The Swamp Fox”, resulting in a lot of muddy “soakers”! Taffy, our white cocker spaniel dog, would run with Dave and Rick all through the woods, many times coming out of the woods muddy from belly to toe. Our Dad would get pretty mad, having to clean up the dog, but we all thought it was great fun! Though Steve was still too small to join in, he was learning how to follow in his big brothers’ footsteps into the woods.
David became serious reader, and as a young boy developed a huge interest in the American Civil War in the early ‘60s, with the Civil War Centennial. He graduated from Arcadia High School having played trumpet in the band, and played on the football team. History became his major at Potsdam, followed by getting a Master’s in History from Brockport. His personal specialty was the Civil War and he became a walking encyclopedia on the topic. Dave could recite battles from the start of the war, all the strategies and details to the end. He enjoyed sharing this with stories of the generals and the roles they played in the war. Dave could keep an audience captivated with a story!
Dave’s appreciation for history and its stories led to his interest in family genealogy. Before it was “popular”, Dave was able to learn a great deal about our family tree. Besides just facts and figures, he enjoyed filling in the blanks by understanding the historical environment of our ancestors. He enthralled us with tales of our fascinating relatives.
During our school years at home, we played neighborhood softball in the cul-de-sac in front of our house. Lots of fun, a few skinned knees, and a memorable time when our sister Nancy got slammed with a line drive! Dave ran in from the outfield, picked her up and carried her home for Mom’s first aid. Dave was always the nurturer and peacemaker in the family. This role seemed to be a natural part of him.
Although there are challenges to being a second son following an older brother through the same school and faculty, there were also advantages to having someone break the ice. For example, Rick wasn’t allowed on Scout trips in the outdoors after coming home with a cold after his first campout. Dave got to go on camping trip after trip. His stories about burying his burnt eggs multiple times while trying to earn the cooking merit badge brought tears of laughter to our family as Dave’s stories usually did!! Lots of house rules were loosened after Rick survived growing up and went off to college.
This brief early history tells you everything you need to know about being a brother. A brother is a friend, companion, accomplice, antagonist, and can always bring a smile to your day; no matter what else has happened to you that day. These behaviors stayed with us into adulthood, where Dave occasionally pulled practical jokes on Rick from his position in the Kodak mainframe computer center. And there are several amusing stories of Rick, Dave and Steve sailing in races and on cruises.
Through all of life’s changes and challenges, Dave maintained that great sense of humor. He and Charlene traveled all over the world and regaled us with stories and pictures from those trips. “Uncle D” endeared himself to all of his nieces and nephews, and took the role of “Santa Claus” for many years. He always took an interest in all his nieces and nephews, asking what they were up to and how they were doing. He loved his family and was always the first to offer a helping hand with homework and a story to put a smile on a sad face. Whatever was needed, he was ready to help, not criticize.
Dave also had a deep love of animals that he shared with his wife, Charlene. Whenever an animal needed a home he was usually the first to say “Well, what’s one more?”.
The stories and memories could go on for the 70 years it took to create them. But you get the idea.
A brother is a person you learned to live with, don’t want to live without, and will never forget.
He was also the most generous, gentle, loving, and supportive husband a wife could ever be blessed to share her life with.