Ursula loved to teach. That is why she dedicated her 31-year career to shaping the minds of 5th and 6th grade children at Edward Smith and Elmwood Elementary schools in Syracuse. Her colleagues kept her in high regard for her dedication to helping her students succeed. In 1982, Ursula told the Herald- American newspaper that her belief in the value of what she was doing kept her in the profession when others were leaving
“I was going to retire maybe three years ago and I’ve talked myself out of it every year,” she said at the time. “You have a life to give and it’s kind of nice to look back and feel you’ve done something productive with it.”
Ursula was especially proud upon receiving the Excellence in Teaching Award from Syracuse University’s School of Education in 1984, the year she retired. She told the Herald-American, “If you really like to be with children, if you’re willing to work hard, willing to take the bumps, then teaching can be a rewarding career. I don’t think there’s any more important job.”
Her passion for teaching was second only to her love for her family — daughters Pam and Karen and husband of 63 years, Richard Malcom “Mal” Hubby. In their spare time, Ursula and Mal served together as co-presidents of Corcoran High School’s PTSO, which works to ensure the mental, physical and moral development of its students. They were also very active in their church, where Ursula volunteered her time on many committees and its board of trustees, in addition to singing in choir and leading the junior choir.
Music, in particular, played a significant part in Ursula’s life and brought great enrichment to her family. She fondly remembered her times dancing with her husband as members of the Top Hats Dance Club. She was also excited to learn about the Carrie Lazarus Fund for Extraordinary Talent, a cause that blended two of her passions — education and music. The fund helps performing arts students with financial need reach their fullest potential by funding the expenses of lessons, instruments and other special opportunities. She made a regular pastime of watching Carrie’s television specials and the talented student performers the fund supports.
When Ursula passed away in 2019, nearly $100,000 was gifted to us through her will to form two funds in support of some of her most cherished causes. Since the establishment of her
two legacy funds, the Ursula T. Hubby Fund for the Arts has provided annual support to budding artists, musicians and dancers through the Carrie Lazarus Fund for Extraordinary Talent. Her second fund, the Ursula T. Hubby Fund, supports annual responsive grantmaking for disaster relief as well as medical research and support for those suffering from cancer or dementia-related diseases. Most recently, this fund was used to respond to the urgent needs that resulted from the storm damage wrought by a series of tornadoes in Canastota, NY.
Ursula’s charitable legacy is a testament to her forethought and vision. Even as the needs and opportunities change from year to year, thanks to the power of endowment and her generosity, Ursula’s support for that which heals us and that which enriches us will remain constant.
Legacy funds are designed to benefit the community in perpetuity. We use a percentage of Ursula’s funds each year to support the causes she cared about. Since 2019, her two legacy funds have distributed cumulative grants totaling $19,000. The remaining fund balances are invested, growing to keep up with inflation to increase the annual spendable allowances. Over time, the cumulative amount of grants awarded is expected to surpass the original gift used to seed the funds.
Following is a summary of grants supported by Ursula’s two legacy funds over the past 5 years;
Ursula T. Hubby Fund:
- OnMyTeam16 received $2,500 to purchase medical equipment and sanitizing supplies for pediatric cancer clients and their families due to COVID-19
- CNY Lime & Tick-Borne Disease Alliance received $2,900 to help expand their education program and transition the Education Coordinator to a full-time position.
- American Cancer Society/Northeast Region received $3,200 to support transportation services for cancer patients in Onondaga and Madison counties.
- Community Action Partnership for Madison County received $3,200 in support for relief from the Canastota tornadoes during the summer of 2024.
Ursula Hubby Fund for the Arts:
- Five annual grants to Carrie Lazarus Fund for Extraordinary Talent
