Robert ("Bob") H. Hitchcock, Jr.
| Robert ("Bob") H. Hitchcock, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 8, 1925 Bibb County, Georgia |
| 💀Died | 4 April 1995 (aged 69) Alachua County, Florida4 April 1995 (aged 69) |
| Burial place | Newnansville Cemetery, Alachua, Florida, Section F |
| 💼 Occupation | Grocer, Businessman |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Betty (Elizabeth) Unwin (27 December 1928 - 29 April 2014) |
| 👶 Children | Alan Hitchcock, Kathy (Hitchcock) Weaver |
| 👴 👵 Parent(s) | Robert H. Hitchcock and Rebie Clyde Harrison |
Bob Hitchcock was the co-founder of Hitchcock's Markets, a Central Florida chain of grocery stores started in 1945 with his father, Robert H. Hitchcock Sr. He served as Alachua City Commissioner for 18 years. He was past president of the Florida Retail Grocer's Association, member of the board of directors of Affiliated of Florida and past commander of American Legion Post 160. He also served as a volunteer fireman for over 20 years.[1]
Early life[edit]
Hitchcock was born in Bibb County, Georgia to Robert H. Hitchcock Sr. and Rebie Clyde Harrison.[2] He served in the U.S. Army 103rd Infantry Division during World War II. The family later moved to North Central Florida, where in 1945 Bob and his father founded Hitchcock & Sons Inc., now known as Hitchcock's Markets, opening their first store in Pahokee, Florida.[1] It was in Pahokee that Bob met Betty (Elizabeth) Unwin, the daughter of Edward Unwin and Julia Estelle Green.[2] The two were married in 1947.[3]
Moving to Alachua[edit]
In 1949, the family moved the business to the City of Alachua, Florida, opening its store on the city's Main Street (which is now renamed Bob Hitchcock's Main Street in honor of Hitchcock's contributions to the community).[4] From there, the business expanded to a total of 11 stores over the following 63 years. Throughout that time period, the grocery chain was a family-run affair. Bob's father, Robert Sr., continued to contribute until his death in 1965. Bob served as president and ran operations in Alachua, Archer, Williston, Anthony, Trenton, Jasper and Monticello.[5] Bob's wife Betty helped operate Hitchcock's supermarkets for many years.[3] Bob's son Alan changed his initial plans to become a basketball coach to help run his father's grocery business. After graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in Food Resource Economics, Alan joined the business full-time[4] to manage the company's growth, which included expanding beyond rural locations and opening a store in Gainesville.[6][7]
Later years[edit]
Hitchcock served on the Alachua City Commission for more than 17 years, including five years as the mayor of Alachua. He served as a volunteer for the Alachua County Fire Department for 20 years. He was very active in the business community as well. He served for 15 years as chairman of the Affiliated of Florida Inc. grocery co-op and also served as a director for the organization. He was the past president of the Florida Retail Grocers Association. He also served as chairman of the board of directors of the First National Bank of Alachua. Hitchcock receive the Florida Retail Grocers Spirit of America Award in 1989. He was commander of the Americal Legion Post in Alachua for two years, and a member of the Alachua Church of Christ. He passed away after a long illness on 4 April 1995.[5]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hipp, Valerie (8 December 1987). "Official lighting of Archer water tower scheduled". Gainesville Sun. Gainesville, FL. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The Lundy Family of Greene County Georgia:Information about Rebie Clyde Harrison". Genealogy.com. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Elizabeth U. (Betty) Hitchcock". Gainesville Sun. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Selling groceries and more". Gainesville Sun. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "R. Hitchcock, business operator". Gainesville Sun. Gainesville, FL. 5 April 1995. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ↑ "Small-Town Store Owner has Made it to the City". Gainesville Sun. Gainesville, FL. 5 December 1982. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ↑ "Robert H. & Rebie C. & Willie Fred & Robert Jr Hitchcock Gravestone, Newnansville Cemetery". Alachua County Historical Commission. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
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