Meredith Dobbs, a renaissance man who spent twelve years as the hugely popular mayor of Hi-Nella, a small municipality in Camden County, during a political career that began while Dwight Eisenhower was still president, died on December 25. He was 91.
He was the grandfather of Josh Zoppina, a former executive director of the Burlington County GOP.
A U.S. Army veteran who served in Korea, Dobbs spent his career as a public school teacher. He was a musician, horseman, skier – snow and water – pipe smoker, and Eagle Scout known for wearing a cowboy hat and boots.
He scoffed at the notion of eliminating his tiny town of just over 1,000 people and consolidating its services with larger municipalities.
Dobbs made his first bid for public office over 65 years ago, losing a Hi-Nella school board race to incumbent Augustus Gondolf by just three votes, 49-46. He ran again in 1960 and lost by eight votes against incumbent Melvin Brimfield.
He sought a borough council seat in 1972 as a Republican but lost to Democrat Rose Marie Brougham by just one vote after a recount put her ahead 218-217.
After a significant hiatus, Dobbs made another run for council in 2001 as a Republican and lost a race for an unexpired term to Democrat David Heckman, 110-69.
By 2003, Dobbs had switched to the Democratic Party and ran unopposed for an unexpired borough council seat. He was unopposed when he sought re-election to a full three-year term in 2005.
Dobbs ran for mayor in 2007 when incumbent Irene Murphy-Wolick stepped down after fourteen years to care for a sick husband. He was unopposed in the primary and general elections. He faced no opponents when he sought re-election in 2011 and 2015; Dobbs retired in 2019, at age 86.
Predeceased by his wife, Margaret, he is survived by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
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