Colleagues recall Hube with affection, humor
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By Louis Porter VERMONT PRESS BUREAU - Published: December 24, 2009
MONTPELIER — Perhaps it's because it was never predictable which side of an issue he would be on, or maybe because of the constant good humor with which he approached the Statehouse, a place he seemed to simultaneously love and be baffled by. Whatever the reason, Rick Hube, a Republican state representative from Londonderry who died this week was remembered Wednesday as fondly by his adversaries as by his allies, missed as much by the recipients of his practical jokes as by those who helped him perpetrate them.
One victim was the Senate. After Sen. Vince Illuzzi secured state funding to aid Sterling College last session, nicely embossed invitations to a "gala dinner" honoring Illuzzi for his "tireless and outstanding work" for the school began arriving in mailboxes. Members of the state Senate received them, as did some in the House. The governor was on the list, as was the governor of Pago Pago in American Samoa, former state Rep. Stub Earle and former Speaker of the House Ralph Wright. The phone number for guests to call and respond to the invitation? Illuzzi's cell phone.
"I got a ton of calls," Illuzzi said Wednesday. Hube — at first — denied having a hand in it. "His fingerprints were all over it," said Illuzzi, who has himself pulled a Statehouse prank or two.
"You have to have some humor in the building," Illuzzi said. But, he added, there was more to Hube than good nature alone.
"For those who only knew him peripherally he was lighthearted, congenial and happy-go-lucky fellow," Illuzzi said. "When you got behind the curtain he was a very bright guy who had given a lot of thought to formulating positions on issues."
"We sat around last night after we got the news and told Rick stories," said Walter Freed, a former speaker of the House and one of Hube's closest friends. Hube, who was born in Connecticut, came to Vermont in 1978. He worked at Stratton Mountain, first on ski patrol, later in a variety of management jobs. Eventually Hube started his own property management company.
But one of the most remarkable things about Hube was how many people of different backgrounds he knew — and how he took the effort to befriend and help them, Freed said.
"He put the time and energy into all of his friendships," he said. "Rick always made that person feel they were his best friend."
Hube, who was 62 when he died of an apparent aortic aneurysm while visiting family in Florida, spent much of his time since first going to the House in 1999 working to amend Act 60, the state school funding law that he believed was unfair to his constituents. Exempt properties came under Hube's gaze, as did income sensitivity payments.
But despite how contentious that issue was — and remains — in the state Hube, a tireless reader and researcher, managed to fight for his point of view while gaining the respect of those of his colleagues who disagreed with him.
"He was definitely the lead man in the Legislature in fighting for property tax reform," said Rep. Patti Komline, the House minority leader and Hube's district mate. "That reflects how well he represented his district. He really, really listened to people and kept an open mind. We used to go on long walks. He thought long and hard about those issues and what they meant to people."
"He always approached a problem with an open mind and sought out different perspectives from across party lines," Oliver Olsen, the chair of the Jamaica Select Board and a close friend of Hube's said. "He was a great advocate for his constituents, an incredibly gifted legislator, and one of the kindest people I have ever known."
Peter Welch, now a U.S. representative, said that when he returned to the state Senate a few years ago, Hube became not only an important go-between from the Democratically controlled Senate and the Republican-led House, but an important friend.
The rare times when Hube spoke on the floor of the House mattered because he compelled those on both sides of a point to improve their thinking and what they said about an issue, Welch said.
"It compelled the proponents of the other point of view to respond in an analytical and constructive way," Welch said "He was one of those people who had the capacity to take his issues and his responsibilities very seriously, but never take himself too seriously."
State Rep. Margaret Cheney, who is married to Welch, received a note from Gov. James Douglas last legislative session asking her to come talk to him. It was only as she was about to head into Douglas' office that she saw Hube laughing as he stood nearby — and realized that she had been caught in one of his perennial favorites — writing notes on other people's stationery.
But this time Hube was in for a surprise. He soon received a note of his own — this time on White House stationery — asking him to call the president.
"I miss him," Welch said. "You liked having that guy in your world."
If Hube's good humor was virtually indefatigable, his approach to issues was often unpredictable. This year Hube was one of a handful of Republicans to vote to override Douglas' veto of the bill legalizing gay marriage. And Hube and Rep. David Zuckerman, the pony-tailed Progressive from Burlington who is among the most liberal members of the House, co-sponsored a bill moving towards allowing physician assisted suicide at the end of life.
"I had the honor of traveling with Rick to China recently where we worked together to promote Vermont as a great place to invest in and visit. I saw first hand his deep commitment to Vermont and his willingness to do what it takes to make our state better," Douglas said in a statement. "Rick will be remembered for his quick wit, his kind heart and his unwavering dedication to reforming Act 60. As we prepare for the upcoming legislative session and the fiscal challenges that lie ahead, I know we will look back on Rick's service to Vermont for strength to get the job done."
The loss of Hube and of Rep. Ira Trombley of Grand Isle, who also died recently, have both been huge losses for the legislature, said Speaker of the House Shap Smith.
"Each of them brought a really special element to the House," Smith said. "Ira was a caring and generous person who had a habit of reaching out to people, sending them notes and that will be greatly missed. Rick's humor and generosity will also be missed. I am going to miss him as a friend and as a colleague."
Hube had over the last year or so lost weight, and was returning to many of the sports he loved, from sailing and playing golf to skiing, Freed and other friends said.
"Rick was a great athlete," he said.
Hube has sailed off the coast of England, played golf in Ireland and skied in the Alps this year, said Komline.
Despite deploying his humor without malice, Hube was also not afraid to point out what he saw as silliness in the Statehouse, friends said. As a bill restricting idling of vehicles was being considered, Hube joked that he was leaving his car idling in the parking lot while he still could.
And so on Wednesday Hube's colleagues remembered a legislator whose joking around complemented and aided their work, rather than diminishing it.
"Vermont has suddenly become less funny today," Sen. Phil Scott wrote to friends in an Internet post about Hube's death.
A memorial service is planned for late January. More information is at www.rickhube.com.
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