December 11, 1944 – July 5, 2026
Bessie “Bess” Delzanne Hobbs Lord, age 81, died on July 5, 2026. A Memorial Service celebrating Bess’s life will be held at Frederick Dean Funeral Home chapel on Friday July 17, 2026, at 10:30am. Tony McCullough, Senior Pastor of Christ Methodist Church of Auburn and George Mathison, Pastor Emeritus of Christ Methodist Church of Auburn are officiating. Due to travel time for a private family graveside service at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery, 553 Highway 165, Ft. Mitchell, AL at 1:30 pm CST/2:30 pm EST, family members will be at the front of the chapel to receive condolences 15 minutes before the start of service and remain for a brief period after the end of service.
Bess was born on December 11, 1944 in Atlanta, GA. She was the daughter of Maurice Bate Hobbs and Dorothy Schraut Hobbs of Atlanta. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Andrew Coleman Schraut Hobbs, Maurice Bate Hobbs, Jr., and sister-in-law Nancy Slay Hobbs (Bate), sister-in-law Sue Sturdivan Lord (Glenn). She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Walter “Neil” Lord (whom she loved more than life itself; Daughter, Ashley Reed (Ross), Auburn, AL; Sons, Clifford “Cliff” Lord (Melanie), Franklin, TN; Claiborne “Clay” Lord (Sarah), Haymarket, VA; Grandchildren, twins Lauren and Clayton Reed, Auburn, AL; Kaylee and Kendall Lord, Franklin, TN; Isaac and Eden Lord, Haymarket, VA.; brother, Hugh Clifford Hobbs (Jackie), Atlanta, GA.; and sister-in-law Miriam Hobbs (Andrew), Atlanta; brother-in-law Glenn Lord, Dalton, GA, and many nieces and nephews.
Bess graduated from Northside High School in Atlanta, GA, LaGrange College, BS, in LaGrange, GA and Auburn University Montgomery, Masters of EE, in Montgomery, AL. She taught in the elementary school environment for 34 years. She worked to make a difference in children’s lives and enjoyed it tremendously.
Neil and Bess lived in Atlanta, GA (10 yrs), Montgomery, AL (32 yrs), and moved to Auburn, AL for retirement in 2008. Bess was a longtime member of Frazer United Methodist while living in Montgomery, transferred her membership to Auburn United Methodist for several years, and later became a founding member of Christ Methodist Church of Auburn.
During retirement Bess served on the Board of the Louise Kreher Turner Charitable Foundation, volunteered at East Alabama Medical Center, loved dearly her precious friends in the SPF Bible Study and the members of the McGehee-Lacy Sunday School Class at AUMC and the Open Hands Sunday School Class at Christ Methodist Church of Auburn.
She loved living in the “loveliest village” where their daughter, Ashley and family lived. Her greatest joy and love were her family. She loved life, playing Bridge, Dominoes and Bunco with friends, sharing time with her children, and being “Bebe” to her grandchildren with whom she shared most of their birthdays. She especially enjoyed the annual family trips to the beach and mountains when all the family could be together at once.
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