Lilian Stubbs

Her life is a “living legacy” that hard work brings success. Going on 95 years old, Lillian Stubbs can tell you stories of what life was like “back in the day.” Lillian and her husband Van and children came to Seadrift in 1961. That’s almost 60 years ago! And it was in 1961 that Hurricane Carla came, too. Lillian and Van had just started to build a motel next to their home on the bayfront, but Carla put a temporary hold on their plans.. Their home was destroyed by the storm.

They then rented a house and started again to build that dream of owning a motel. After building the motel, there seemed to be no stopping of what they would do next! They constructed apartments next to the motel and bought what used to be a little house next door to rent. Across from the harbor they acquired a restaurant. On the highway they owned a building that at one time included a bar, washeteria, and a liquor store. They owned a trailer park that was near the old water tower. Lillian single-handedly oversaw the renovation of an old building she inherited on Main Street.

About her life she has this to say, “I enjoy living here because I want to live by the water and not in a large city. I enjoyed the bay because I loved to fish and at one time ran my own boat.”

Her contributions to the community include giving to her local church and civic organizations. If you happen to see her around town, be sure and let her know you read this article. She’ll be tickled, for sure!

This article is 6th in the Seadrift Legacy series.