William S. Hubble

South Portland - William S. Hubble, 78, died on November 23, 2016, at home, surrounded by family. William was born September 12, 1938, in Somerset, Kentucky, to Ruth Tibbals and William O. Hubble. In 1942, he and his mother moved to Detroit, Michigan. He attended schools in Dearborn, Michigan and went on to graduate with a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He was a member of the honorary mechanical engineers society, Pi Tau Sigma. He then graduated with a masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University. Hubble obtained patents in gas turbine and nuclear power systems. William married Elaine Westby, December 12, 1959, in Michigan, where he was later active with his three sons as their Scoutmaster. They moved to Cape Elizabeth, Maine, in 1968, where he joined General Electric in South Portland, and had their daughter in 1971. Hubble enjoyed an accomplished career during which he and his business partner, Ivan Most, created their engineering firm, Energroup, Inc. He retired from General Dynamics Engineering Department, Bath Iron Works, in 2010, where he contributed to the power systems designs of several US Navy ships, including the USS Zumwalt combatant ship. He and his wife have enjoyed frequent travel to Europe and the Azores. William enjoyed hiking, skiing, hunting, fishing, and boating with his family. He gifted his children and grandchildren with a love of the outdoors and nature that will be passed down through future generations. He also gave his family an appreciation of their genealogy and enjoyed learning of several well-known relatives, most notably Edwin P. Hubble, the astronomer. He is predeceased by his sons, William F. Hubble and Kenneth J. Hubble. He is survived by his stepmother, Velma D. Hubble, his loving wife, Elaine W. Hubble, his son Robert E. Hubble, his daughter Susan E. Hubble, his granddaughters, Amanda L. Jordan, Lydia E. Balzano, Elaina N. Balzano, his grandsons, William J. Hubble, Steven E. Hubble, Zachary Jett, Elijah M. Hubble, Dustin T. Hubble, and his great-grandchildren, Gavin W. Hubble, and Scarlett G. Hubble. Visiting Hours will be held at the Conroy-Tully Walker South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland, on Sunday, November 27, 2016 from 1-3PM followed by a Funeral Service at 3PM. Burial will be held in the spring at Hope Grove Cemetery, Hope, Maine.