Diane Hubbard Obituary

I just read the obituary of Diane Hubbard, widow of harpsichord builder Frank Hubbard. She died the afternoon of September 22 of this year, from cancer. She was 71.

She sounds like she was a fascinating woman. Very business savvy (a lot more than her husband), running the business for 25 years after her husband died, and gaining the respect of those she worked with. Apparently she was very proper in public, and I liked the description of her in Peru, observing Machu Picchu wearing a hair scarf and white gloves.

At the time of taking the helm of their business, there weren't many really any women in a similar position; all the women involved were musicians (not a bad thing).

Has much changed since the 70s?  In my experience, there still aren't many women builders, though there are now more technicians and those on the business side of things.  But it's still a fraction of the number of men in the same position. I would like to see more women builders, frankly.  I'll have to do some more research, frankly, before I can talk a little more in depth on this subject.  But I'm glad the subject has presented itself to me.

RIP, Diane Hubbard.

Photo (c) boston.com