Gertrude Paskett Hobson Obituary

April 20, 1923 – July 7, 2026

Gertrude Paskett Hobson was born in Antioch (Davidson County) Tennessee April 20, 1923, to Hulitt Paskett Sr. and Lillie Floyd Paskett and her family included a younger brother Hulitt Paskett, Jr. Their lives centered around hard work, family, faith and being loyal members of St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Antioch.

The original town of Antioch began with a church located at Mill Creek in 1810, was a small farmland community town where workers traveled to and from downtown Nashville which was approximately 12 miles southeast serving the Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County.

Because Tennessee was a segregated state, job opportunities for Black Americans were limited so Gertrude and her brother attended the only black elementary school in Antioch, and her parents found work in Nashville.

Her parents divorced when she was ready for high school but there was no high school for blacks in Antioch, so she had to walk the 12 miles to Nashville to attend school. Eventually she moved in with her father and stepmother who resided in Nashville and graduated from the historically black, Pearl High School. Gertrude and her brother made Nashville home and her mother remained in Antioch with extended family until her death.

After high school, she met and married World War II US Army veteran, James William Hobson, Sr and to this union was birthed one son, James (Jimmy) William Hobson II. Her husband wanted to provide a better living environment for his family and worked hard to make that a reality. In the late 1950’s James bought a home for his family where Gertrude lived until her passing. She made it known that her home is where she wanted to take her last breath, and the Lord saw fit to allow it to be so.

“Jimmy” was their greatest joy, and Gertrude was so proud of the fact that he served with the US Army in Viet Nam and upon his return went to college and became a proud Tennessee State University graduate earning a degree in engineering. He took care of her until his passing in January of 2025.

Over the years, Gertrude worked two jobs to help with the family expenses and continued to do so following the sudden death of her husband in 1979. She was smart and it was believed she had a photographic memory when it came to numbers because she could remember everyone’s birthday and phone number. Despite hardships and the heartfelt loss of family and friends she remained devoted to her faith. She was a devoted member of Olivet Baptist Church in Nashville where she was recognized with an award as their oldest member. Gertrude loved dressing up for church and attended until her health declined, but if she felt good and had a companion to take her, she wanted to be at church if she could not attend, she watched online.

Gertrude loved to laugh, eat, work in the yard, flowers, conversing with friends and working crossword puzzle books. She said she stopped because God told her she was spending too much time with the puzzles and not enough time reading her bible. She put them down and picked up her bible and even when her sight began to fail, she would use a magnifying glass reading numerous chapters aloud every day and at 5:30pm she listened to Dr. Vernon McGee’s teachings on the bible. As recent as April of this year, Gertrude would get on her knees and say her prayers every night and after she said her blessing over her meal, she would lift her hands and say, “thank You for everything”. On her 103rd birthday, against her wishes, family and friends gathered to give her a surprise birthday dinner and she was so blessed. She was able to see and feel the love and honor reserved for her and it made her so happy, she shed tears of joy and talked about it for weeks. Her spirit was gentle, kind, and peaceful, that is the life she lived and how she will be remembered.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, son and numerous relatives. She leaves to honor her memory, devoted nieces and caretakers, Demetrus Alexander, Latoya Alexander, Audrey Payton. Nephew Keith Paskett, great nieces, Nicole Hare, Myka Suggs, Kendra Chism and a host of loving relatives and friends.

Public viewing, Wednesday July 15, 2026 2-5pm, Smith Funeral Home, 706 Monroe Street. Family visitation, Thursday July 16, 2026 10-11am with funeral to follow at Olivet MB Church 144 Ewing Lane. Interment, Nashville National Cemetery