Bobby A. Lockhart

Bobby Allen Lockhart

The home of Charlie Floyd Lockhart, Jr. and the late Grace Crutcher Lockhart, was blessed to receive the third of six children to be born to their union, Bobby Allen Lockhart was born on September 6, 1954. 

Bobby has always been known to be a productive, industrious young man.  Nurtured by his loving Aunt Gussie, his first venture as an entrepreneur was in delivering her special recipe for barbeque pulled pork sandwiches, to the neighbors in Binford Court for .25 cents each.  Bobby also was the enthusiastic delivery person for Mrs. Maggie Warner’s thriving neighborhood cake and dessert business.  Together, the three, Aunt Gussie, Mrs. Maggie Warner, and Bobby helped to provide financial support for the building of the historic St. Bartley P.B. Church in its current location.

As babysitter of the last three siblings, they fondly recount how, before his accident, pushed them in the 12 foot swimming pool to teach them how to swim.  Bobby has always shown an enthusiasm for life in every endeavor, which continued, despite the accident that changed his life.

In December of 1971, Bobby was an innocent victim, caught in the middle of a street fight in Birmingham, Alabama. He was approaching the area just when the fight began and was accidentally shot in the lungs and spine leaving him paralyzed from just below the arms to his toes.  He remained hospitalized enduring numerous surgeries before returning home in Huntsville. Bobby was unable to complete the remainder of the academic year at Lee High School.  After two years of extensive rehabilitation, he moved to Johnson High School because of re-districting.  After encountering problems with attending school physically, he later had to attend school through the use a telephone hookup system installed in the school and in his home by South Central Bell Telephone Company.  Subsequently Bobby graduated with the first graduating class of J.O. Johnson High in 1973 to a standing ovation from the audience.  Bobby continued to press forward, moving on to further study at Alabama A&M University in the area of business.

He worked as a tax preparer among many other projects and remaining active. 

Bobby was particularly adept at sports, described as a natural-born athlete; he joined the North Alabama Wheelers, a wheelchair basketball team in 1980.  The players had to bounce the ball once for every two pushes on their wheels.  The team practiced once a week and traveled across the Southeast for games.  Bobby was a force to be reckoned with. He remained on the team until  health constraints prevented him from continuing. 

As a young man, Bobby could have become discouraged and hampered by limitations, but he has remained very positive, always giving encouragement to those who enter his path. 

Family and friends are known to describe him as wise, inspirational, enterprising, focused, tenacious, soft-spoken, resilient and especially loving.

Bobby has been, and continues to be, a motivating force for so many handicap persons, and people in general.   He has never entertained receiving handouts, but has always graciously accepted a hand up.      

Since January of  2011 extended hospital stays have resulted in mounting costs not covered.  Because of his diminishing health and the costly treatment necessary for his health to be rehabilitated, we are calling on you, people of good will, to come to the aid of your fellow man, Mr. Bobby Lockhart.