Pastor Jeff “Hutch” Hubschman, age 63, of Mount Gilead, went on to be with his Lord and Savior on May 4, 2023. Jeff pastored Bryn Zion Baptist Church in Mount Gilead. He passed away at his home surrounded by his loving family, following a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. 

In 2011 Jeff was asked to fill in for a few weeks at Bryn Zion Baptist and it wasn’t long after that he became the church’s full-time minister. There was something about Jeff that made you want to listen when he spoke. He believed in people and educating them to be and do their best. In addition to speaking from the pulpit, Jeff utilized his gift as a speaker for Gideons International, where he was a former President of the Morrow County camp. He was a speaker for Heartbeat of Morrow County, and later began serving on their board. He also served on the board of West Central Community Correctional Facility in Marysville, as a representative of Morrow County.

The oldest of three children, Jeff was born on May 7, 1959 in Columbus, Ohio, to Doris Marie (Mulacek) Hubschman and the late Jerry Henry Hubschman. As a young man, Jeff took advantage of everything the Boy Scouts had to offer and then fell in love with sports. He graduated from Yellow Springs High School in the Class of 1977 and then in 1981 received his Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary/ Special Education from Ohio Wesleyan University. There, he was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity.

Jeff had a very distinguished career as a special education teacher and developed life-changing relationships with so many of his students. His teaching career began at Eastern Local Schools in Brown Co., OH from 1981 – 1983. He next took a teaching/coaching position at Northmor Local Schools from 1984 – 1990.

While teaching at Northmor, Jeff’s world forever changed when he was introduced to Peggy Lynn Ruhl. the sister of one of his players. They met in January 1985 and were married on September 14, 1985 at Pleasant Grove Church of Christ. The rest was history for them, devoted to each other the last 37 years as husband and wife. They raised a large family and experienced all of life’s blessings and heartbreaks together.

Jeff’s love of sports led him to get his Masters degree from Ashland University in sports administration in 1989. From 1990 – 1993 Jeff taught/coached at Marysville High School and then began a long stint at Hilliard Davidson High School, from where he retired May 31, 2012. That retirement was short lived when Northmor snatched him back up to continue as a special education and life skills teacher until 2018.

Jeff didn’t just teach. He was the assistant bus mechanic for Northmor for many years and held coaching positions everywhere he taught. He coached track, basketball, wrestling, weight lifting, and football; inspiring countless young lives along that journey. Even when he wasn’t coaching, Jeff would go to every sporting event he could and help in any way they would let him. He loved all sports, but football was always number one to him.

Jeff enjoyed working on cars, and boating on Lake Erie. His favorite place to be was anywhere there was water and a beach. He had a special place in his heart for Myrtle Beach and Key West. Key Lime Pie and Jimmy Buffett described him perfectly.

Jeff will be remembered as a man who loved God, his family, and absolutely adored his grandchildren. He was honest and conscientious to a fault, and pretty much a big teddy bear. He truly lived by something he learned as a kid in Boy Scouts, “try to leave this world a little better than you found it.” 

Left to cherish Jeff’s memory are his wife, Peggy, of Mount Gilead; five children: Raymond (Mandi) Hubschman, Kate (Taylor) Graffeo, Anna Burkey, Sarah (Grant) Higgins, Jenny (Kerry) Naylor; seven grandchildren: Alex Muschott, Sophia Hubschman, Piper Burkey, Isaiah Burkey, Drew Higgins, Judd Higgins, Elizabeth Naylor; mother, Doris Hubschman; sister, Jane (Bud) Baily; brother, Don (Nancy) Hubschman; mother-in-law, Judy Ruhl; and numerous nieces, nephews and dear friends.

In addition to his father, Jerry Hubschman, he was preceded in death by an infant son, Andrew Hubschman; another son, Steven Hubschman; and his father-in-law, Ed Ruhl.

Please keep the Hubschman family in your prayers.