Dr. Jerry Smith Hubbard, 93, passed away peacefully on December 27, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Tipton, Oklahoma and was a resident of Melbourne, Florida for 28 years. He is survived by his son Randall Hubbard of Melbourne, and daughter Dr. Amy E. Hubbard of Memphis, TN. He was preceded in death by Shirley Chase Hubbard, his wife of 62 years, his parents (Julius) Carl Hubbard and (Evie) Eva Smith, sisters (Wanda) Carlyne Richardson and Bobbye Curran. He enlisted in the US Army and upon completion of his service, he used the GI Bill to further his education. He earned his PhD in Microbiology from the University of Texas. After graduating he had prestigious appointments at the National Institutes of Health, California Institute of Technology, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Dr. Hubbard was an integral part of the JPL team that designed experiments conducted by the Viking mission to determine if life existed on Mars. He was a highly sought-after speaker and presented his research to worldwide audiences. Dr. Hubbard was a professor in the School of Applied Biology at Georgia Tech for 23 years and had a passion for teaching. Throughout his career he published over 50 research articles and book chapters.
He was an avid woodworker and built over 100 pieces of oak furniture for family and friends. As a soil biologist, he had a passion for gardening and playing in the dirt. Everyone that he was acquainted with knew that he loved to tell a good story. Most importantly, he was a proud father, and his legacy is his children.
His celebration of life will be at a later date in Stuart, FL. In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring his legacy with a donation to The Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project a 501c3 nonprofit:
Online: https://square.link/u/37onYJ1n
Mail: The Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project
5331 S. Macadam Ave. 258-504
Portland Oregon 97239