“He was a local celebrity. He’s from Middletown.... He did so many wonderful fundraisers for underprivileged children,” she said. “Because he did all the work that he did, we thought it would be nice if in turn we provide a monument for him.”
Atkinson was contacted Tuesday by Midwest Promotions owner Louie Wood. Wood, a Dr. Creep fan, has been collecting money for a monument. Hobart is buried in an unmarked grave at Woodside Cemetery in Middletown.
Wood is now seeking a prominent location for the monument in either Dayton or Middletown. Due to legal restrictions, it can’t be placed at Hobart’s grave.
Wood decided to contact Dodds because fundraising efforts were slow. His two-day Dayton Does Dayton music festival at Canal Street Tavern brought in about $300 for a monument.
“He had to have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities in his lifetime,” Wood said. “I really think he deserves a memorial.”
Hobart, who died Jan. 14, 2011, introduced his Dr. Creep character in January 1972 while working as a master control operator at Channel 22 in Dayton. He hosted “Shock Theatre” at that station from 1972-1985.
He co-founded the local children’s charity Project Christmas Smiles with Linda Gabbard in the 1970s. The charity helped more than 93,000 area families during a 33-year span.
Hobart entered the Franklin Ridge Healthcare Center in April 2010 due to leg and breathing issues.
He suffered a series of massive strokes in December 2010 and went into a coma.
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