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Note: Served in Peacetime Germany in the US Army, PFC, Unit: 37 Ord Co (Park), APO 403. His first son, Russell, was born abroad while stationed there. On the official paperwork for the birth, Hubert lists himself as having no religion. His residences - Colorado thru 1947; 1947-1951 Salt Lake City, Utah; 1951-1953 Golden Colorado; 1953-1955 San Diego, California; 1955 joined the Army. This document also gives the marriage date and place, as well as birthplaces and adates for himself and Marilyn.
Hubert Arnold Machol was born to Jaques Alan Machol and Charlotte Heitler Machol on November 9, 1933, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He attended elementary and junior high school in Denver, attended Westside High School in Salt Lake City, and attended college at the Colorado School of Mines. Hugh came to San Diego with his family in late 1953. Hugh applied his mechanical talents at Rohr Industries in the mid '50's as a toolmaker. His work was interrupted by a tour of duty with the U.S. Army. In this two year period of life he was married to his wife of 16 years, Marilyn Smith, and served in West Germany, where their first son was born. After his military service, Hugh and Marilyn settled in Chula Vista and raised their three sons.
In 1962, Hugh was diagnosed with Scleroderma, a rare disease that effects the body tissue. Although given only two years to live, Hugh kept his spirits high by becoming active in his community and home. During his 35 years in Chula Vista he acted in many civic positions in cluding PTA President at Mueller Elementary, Board Member of the YMCA, Boy Scouts, and active leadership in the Kiwanis. Hugh was also politacally active. He organized the active support or defeat of several local bond issues, and ran successful campaigns for Mayor Dan McCorquodale in 1964 and School Board Member Judith Bauer.
In addition to these activities, Hugh dedicated much of his time to his community through his role in the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce. He was active in the Jaycees from 1959 to 1968, becoming President in 1964 and 1965, and was appointed to the JCI Senate in 1967 as a life member. In his several years in the Jaycees he organized many service and fund-raising activities, including the Fiesta de la Luna, a seat belt awareness program, and raised money for the Starlight Center. Hugh recieved the Jaycee State Award for community developement and was the first person to be awarded Jaycee of the Year for three consecutive years. His charisma and love of life was an inspiration to all.
In the late 60's and early 70's, Hugh was involved in the planning and promotion of Bay General Hospital and Towers. He acted as Grand Opening Chairman 1970, conducted hospital tours, wrote the hospital newsletter and assembled the public relation articles in support of the hospital.
His passion and pastime was the automobile. He collected older cars and restored them, briefly owned an auto garage, built a mock '23T street roadster from the ground up, and raced stock cars at the old Balboa Stadium in San Diego. He religiously followed the NASCAR race circuit and attended all Riverside and Phoenix races. He helped train many of his friends to do thier own car repairs including having his friend Maragaret change a differential and his wife and her friend replace an entire engine by themselves. His latest project was to join two Mustang '76 engines in line to produce a V12 engine for his Chevy Monte Carlo. He wasn't able to complete the installation but the engine runs perfectly.
After his divorce in 1973, Hugh became very active in the singles community. He acted as a counselor in the We Care organization and co-founded Divorce Recovery Single Friends in 1977, and was a group leader through 1984. He continued his community activity to the end by owning and operating several buisness properties in the downtown Chula Vista area. Most recently Hugh was a member of the Chula Vista Growth Management Oversight Commission and was a founding member of the Chula Vista Towncentre Developement Corporation, a non-profit group to provide funding for the improvement and remodeling of commercila buildings.
Hugh believed there was nothing he couldn't do when he set his mind to it. He lived his life by this philosophy and his variety of accomplishments are a testament to this. He passed this tenacity to his sons, and to the granchildren he never expected to know.
This obituary was written by Hugh himself during the last week of his life, and is the way he wanted to be remembered. There is more that should be said:
First - his change of name. Prior to entering the army, while an adult, Hubert had his name legally changed from Machol to Christensen (which was the surname of his mother's current husband). The reason for this name change was never explained by Hubert, but his mother believed that he was angry with his father over his alcoholism.
Second - as a property owner. Because of the schleroderma, Hugh did not hold a traditional job. His wife, Marilyn, worked outside the home, while Hugh stayed home with the boys. Hugh bought and sold many properties over the years, purchasing old buildings and rennovating them. House were converted into apartments, buisness buildings were renovated and had apartments added above them. The properties he kept long term occupied the same city block on Landis Street in Chula Vista. Hugh had a grand plan to eventually own the entire block, at which time he would tear it all down and build a blend of commercial and residentail suites. At the time of his death he owned one apartment building, one commercial property, and three houses.
Third - the Sclerderma. When first diagnosed, Hugh was given a regiment of drugs to take. After a few short weeks he rebelled and flushed them all down the toilet, he did not wish to spend his life a slave to pills. The disease arrested, and instead of dying after two or three years, he held on for thirty years. This disease had profound affects on Hubert's body, but no affect on his ambition. The disease caused his hands to shrink and freeze into claw-like appendages. For the last fifteen years of his life he had no ability to move his fingers. The work he accomplished on the cars, at the businesses, and with his rentals, was all accomplished through the hands of others. In the early years, it was his sons who worked under his direction to build, to alter, to do. Later Hugh hired a series of men who were paid to be available to be his hands as the need arose.
Fourth - his death. The schleroderma finally caught up with Hugh, making it difficult for him to swallow. He was diagnosed with small-cell carcinoma, and elected to not have treatment, as his quality of life was deteriorating rapidly. He remained in full control of everything until the day of death, figuring out how to handle his estate, writing his own obituary, organizing his death as he had organized his life. Hugh died in Bay General Hospital (Scripps Hospital), in Chula Vista, on April 9, 1992.
Lastly, because this is a genealogy report, it should be recorded that Hugh was not buried anywhere. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered throughout the city he loved - at the hospital, at the junkyard, at the park, and at the buildings he had owned.
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