Hobart McWhorter Obituary

Hobart Amory McWhorter, Jr. of Mountain Brook, Alabama died on January 6, 2022, after a brief illness. He had reached age 90 last month. Born in Birmingham on December 24, 1931, Hobart was descended from the McWhorter family of Gaylesville, Alabama, and he was proud of his Cherokee County roots. As a teenager, he attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Birmingham University School, where he was awarded the Rushton Cup, the highest honor given to a student at the school. After graduation from Phillips Exeter Academy, he attended Yale University, where he was a member of the swim team. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale in 1953 and was awarded the Dean Hudnut Memorial Award. He then served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army for two years, reaching the level of battery commander for artillery forces stationed in Hokkaido, Japan. Hobart then attended the University of Virginia School of Law, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1958. Hobart joined the law firm of Bradley Arant Rose & White in 1958 and remained associated with the firm for 63 years. He quickly established himself as one of Alabama's finest trial lawyers. He was fearless in the courtroom, and had an unyielding determination to win. He also was not one to assign key items to younger lawyers and then retire to his home while they did the work. To the contrary, he would often be found on nights and weekends in the firm's library, searching for the case to win his client's cause. Hobart recently said that juries like to be entertained, and he certainly entertained them. Early in his career, he represented a local soft drink bottling company in cases where plaintiffs alleged that there was glass in their soda bottles. During one such trial, Hobart grabbed the bottle, removed the cap, added glass shards, and then drank the contents. The jury quickly returned a verdict for the bottler. At the next such trial, the plaintiff's lawyer filed a motion asking that Hobart not be permitted to drink the evidence. Hobart's skills as a trial lawyer were widely admired. He was a member of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and was listed in numerous publications that recognize outstanding legal achievement. In addition to his accomplishments in the courtroom, Hobart was a great mentor to young lawyers with whom he formed strong lifelong bonds, and he trained generations of his firm's litigators. In the community, Hobart was a lifelong member and past Vestry member of Independent Presbyterian Church. He was a past president of Mountain Brook Club and a member of the Redstone Club and Beaux Arts Krewe. He was frequently involved in campaigns to support local charities. He was named the Distinguished Alumnus of Altamont School in 2003. In his spare time, Hobart was an avid fly fisherman, traveling in and outside the country in pursuit of the that fish which would win the bet of the day. If you ever met Hobart, it did not take long to see that he was one of a kind. In the courtroom, every case was at that moment the battle of the century. In his professional life, he was ever the professional, with a commitment to the rule of law. In other life pursuits, Hobart's wry wit and boundless sense of humor never failed to make him the life of the party. He was beloved by his family, friends, and colleagues. Hobart had a number of sayings he frequently repeated. One that he often delivered as his litigation team was working on a critical issue: "The Great Architect of the Universe never invented a substitute for results." Hobart's remarkable life was one of extraordinary results. Hobart is survived by his wife Ellen; his daughters Margaret (Mark) King of Mountain Brook and Marjorie (Alex) Mantle of Buffalo, Wyoming; his stepson Burgess "Tommy" (Julie) Thomasson of Mobile; nine grandchildren, Hobart (Cecil) King, Crawford King, Margaret (Dixon) Johns, Adelaide King, Hollis Mantle, Ruth Mantle, Ryan Thomasson, Peyton Thomasson, and Emma Thomasson; and one great-grandchild Charlotte Thomasson. He was predeceased by his parents Hobart Amory McWhorter, Sr. and Marjorie Westgate McWhorter, his brother Martin McWhorter, and his sister Gail McWhorter Rummell. A service in celebration of Hobart's life will be held at Independent Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, January 11 at 3:00 p.m. Masks are suggested for all attendees. A reception will follow at Mountain Brook Club from 4:00-6:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to Independent Presbyterian Church/Boy Scout Troop 28, 3100 Highland Avenue, Birmingham, AL 35205; UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center, 1720 2nd Ave. South AB 1264, Birmingham, AL 35294; American Heart Association, 217 Country Club Park PMB 326, Mountain Brook, AL 35213; or the charity of your choice.