Joe Hubbard, who spent a lifetime helping the impoverished, underprivileged and ill, died at 7:17 p.m. on Sept. 10 at age 82.

Hubbard’s care and compassion for needy people in the Diocese of Belleville was legendary, and his service led many of them to refer to him as a “saint,” a term Hubbard disdained.

The East St. Louis native, born Jan. 8, 1943, joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society in 1961 when he was 18, following the death of his father, Edward.

In 1973, Hubbard founded Catholic Urban Programs (CUP), an organization that had actually been functioning under his leadership for about 10 years.

Hubbard’s efforts ensured that the hungry would receive a meal and that the homeless would be sheltered, particularly during bitter-cold winter months when the need always seemed to be greater. Hubbard also spent countless hours comforting the sick, and his was often the last voice heard by a dying person.

“The man walked the talk,” said Fr. Gene Neff, a friend of Hubbard’s since the two met in 1969. “He said it like it is and he wasn’t afraid. He walked through some dangerous areas in this diocese — and far distances — where a lot of people wouldn’t go. It was as if he had no fear. At least he didn’t show it if he had it.”

In his many years as a priest, Fr. Neff, 80, said Hubbard always believed in ministering to people and serving parishioners in whatever way he could. It was that quality Fr. Neff most admired about Hubbard.

“He didn’t get into this for people to make him famous or anything like that,” Fr. Neff said. “He got into it to help them, to give them food to eat, a place to sleep. He was phenomenal. He lived the Christian message. … There will never be another Joe Hubbard, but hopefully his example will rub off on some folks. Then we can pick up from the spirit of Joe Hubbard.”

Gerry Hasenstab began working with Hubbard in 1977 and was always struck by Hubbard’s compassion and kindness.

“He treated people with dignity and respect,” Hasenstab said. “They all felt special with Joe. He saw things in people that others didn’t. He didn’t look at the exteriors.

“He also had a very strong faith in God. Very strong faith. … It wasn’t always Joe. It was God sending the resources, sending the people. He got people to do things they would not normally do to help people. He wasn’t afraid to ask on behalf of somebody else.”

Hasenstab said there was a tough side to Hubbard, too. He would stop at nothing to provide needed assistance to people.

“The only time I really heard him get angry was with politicians and our Church, when he thought they weren’t reaching out to the poor (enough) and he wanted help,” Hasenstab said. “They might say, ‘We don’t have the money now.’ But he would challenge them; he would push them. He would call our (state) representatives at all hours of the day and night. If there was a family that needed help, he might make a call at 10 o’clock at night because it needed to be done. He would stay on people until they (helped).

“He made people aware that there were people in need. Sometimes it wasn’t a financial (thing). People just needed somebody to be with them, like elderly people in their home. … He took care of a lot of elderly people that had no family, or their family had rejected them. It had nothing to do with money. Just time and care.”

Judy Phillips, director of development in the diocese, said Hubbard was one of the first people to reach out to her when she arrived in her position 30 years ago.

“I don’t have words that could adequately describe this remarkable man and all he meant to me as a coworker and one of my dearest friends; I thought of him as my big brother,” Phillips said. “While he was often called Rev. Hubbard or St. Joe, I know Joe’s favorite title was, ‘Friend of the Poor.’ He felt it was a privilege to work with people in need, and (he) looked for the presence of God in each person.”

Phillips said Hubbard “was a person of great faith who loved the diocese and the Church.”

“Even when he married Julie eight years ago, he continued working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with his lovely wife joining him in his ministry, answering calls for help on their home phone and Joe on his cell,” Phillips said. “In my last conversation with Joe, he asked me to continue to help with his cemetery (Mount Carmel) and to help the poor — a request I hope to honor in his memory.

“My heart is heavy. I miss him, his daily phone calls and all of his help in so many ways. But I smile knowing that he is no longer in pain and that our Lord is now saying to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”

Along with his service at the St. Vincent de Paul Society and CUP, Hubbard for many years was the director of the Catholic Cemetery Association of the diocese.

Former Diocese of Belleville Bishop Michael McGovern, who was installed as the new Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Omaha, Neb., in May, said Hubbard’s service in the metro-east made a lasting impact and was a profound help to many.

“Joe was a sincere Catholic who encountered Jesus Christ when he reached out to the poor of the Belleville Diocese,” Archbishop McGovern said. “In his younger years, he often took the bus to meet with people in need. He attended to people’s needs for food, shelter and Christian burial. Joe often spoke about meeting Christ in the poor. In the past five years, Joe was present at the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals held at St. Henry. He always wanted people to feel welcome.

“May the angels lead Joe into paradise and may the martyrs welcome Joe to the New Jerusalem.”

Hubbard is survived by his wife, Julie, and many family members.

A Mass of Christian burial is being held Sept. 23 at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville, officiated by Fr. Kenneth York. Burial is following at Mount Carmel Cemetery.

The Most Rev. Edward Braxton, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Belleville, wrote a letter about Hubbard that was read at Hubbard’s funeral. Bishop Braxton was in Rome and was unable to attend the service.

“I am deeply saddened by the death of this good man,” Bishop Braxton wrote. “I am profoundly appreciative of his long life of Christian service and his heroic example of love of neighbor. Joe lived the parable of the Good Samaritan. He answered Jesus’ question, ‘Who is your neighbor?’ with a full-throated, ‘Everyone! Everyone is my neighbor!’ Like all of you, I was constantly inspired by the energy with which he did so much to help so many for so long, even when his own health was failing.

“Joe’s decades of service to anyone in need through Catholic Urban Programs, the St. Vincent de Paul Society and many other works of concern and care for others had no equal. Joe’s life of Christian service was not structured around office hours. He was available all day, every day, to bring Christ’s love and care to others. I often asked him when he slept.”

Hasenstab remembered the early years of CUP, when Hubbard was running all over the diocese to help people. Of course, that was never anything that concerned Hubbard since it was what he had been doing as the unofficial leader of CUP in the decade before it was created.

“He and some priests got together and wrote a letter to Bishop (Albert) Zuroweste saying, ‘Hey, this man is already doing the work on his own without getting paid. He uses his own funds, and this is very much needed. We want you to hire him and start a program,’” Hasenstab said, reflecting on 1973 when Hubbard was made the director of CUP.

“But he knew he couldn’t do it alone. One of his themes was, ‘Don’t look at us to do all the work. … Go out and do something. Help.’ Joe developed a lot of volunteers, not just for CUP, but for the Cancer Society, St. Vincent de Paul or the food pantry.”

Pat Hogrebe worked with Hubbard for the past 25 years.

“St. Vincent de Paul was the closest thing to his heart, he always said, other than his wife,” Hogrebe said. “He was a man of great faith and a man of great love of the poor. And he loved St. Vincent de Paul. That’s what he wanted people to know.

“I think he would want people to know he was very active with St. Vincent de Paul until the very end. The week before he died, he worked as much as ever.  He was unique. There’s nobody that will ever take his place. No one can take his place.”

Last Jan. 30, the soup kitchen at St. Vincent de Paul in East St. Louis, formerly Cosgrove’s Kitchen, was named Hubbard’s Haven, in conjunction with a 10-year, $100,000 commitment from motivational speaker and metro-east native John Foley.

Last week, students at Sister Thea Bowman Grade School in East St. Louis created pinwheels in class, which included notes to Hubbard. On Sept. 19, the students took their completed work outside and placed the pinwheels in the ground.