Hubert Morel-Seytoux

Hubert Morel-Seytoux was born in Calais, France, on October 6, 1932. His father was an optician and the family of four was of modest means, but Hubert always felt loved and secure. When Hubert was seven years old WWII forced his family to flee to Southern France to live with relatives. This experience of war left a mark on Hubert.

After the war, the family returned to Calais where Hubert spent his youth. He studied engineering for his family, even though he loved literature and history. He received a degree in civil engineering in Paris. Hubert was granted a Fulbright travel scholarship to travel to the United States where he did graduate studies at Colorado State University. From there he transferred to Stanford University, where he met his future wife, Chula. However, France was at this time (1958) in a war with Algeria and Hubert was drafted into military service, just has he qualified for his degree. He did get a two-week leave of absence to return to California to get married. Serving as a soldier for two and a half years brought him to the conviction that war is futile.

When Hubert was released from the French Military, he found a job with Standard Oil Company in Southern California, and he and Chula settled in La Habra. They already had one daughter at this time, Aimee, but soon two more girls were born, Claire and Sylvie. They found a spiritual community in the Quaker Meeting in Whittier, and they participated regularly. Both Chula and Hubert missed the international community of a university, so when an opportunity came, they moved to Fort Collins, CO, where Hubert taught civil engineering at Colorado State University, and their fourth daughter, Marie-Jeanne, was born. The couple participated in the University’s International Center activities, hosted refugees, and actively participated in a small Quaker meeting. Hubert also stayed in close contact with his French family, through regular letters and visits.

By 1991, the daughters were grown and, he and Chula moved to the California Bay Area to be near Chula’s mother. Here, Hubert and enjoyed an early retirement and consulted in hydrology. At Palo Alto Meeting he became active in the Health Care for All campaign, Amnesty International campaigns, and support for refugees. He was tireless in his support for the Harvest Festival which raised money for Friends Committee on National Legislation. The Morel-Seytoux also enjoyed folk dancing, hiking, spending time in the family Sierra cabin, and welcoming international students into their home. Hubert loved classical music, the opera “Carmen”, and the songs of French guitarist Georges Brassens.

In 2014, Hubert and Chula moved to Santa Rosa, California, to be near their daughter, Claire, and her family. Soon granddaughter Ellie, a highschooler, moved into their home and lived with them for three years. Hubert was truly delighted. He announced happily that he now had a fifth daughter! After Ellie went to college, “Grandpa Bear”, as he was known to his nine grandchildren, continued to sing French folk songs with his grandson, Angelo. He and Chula moved into Friends House, where he strummed his favorite songs and entertained the community at the “Bear Café”.

There were two individuals who were especially influential and dear to Hubert. He esteemed Albert Camus, the French author, whose writings resonated deeply with him, and his wife, Chula, his partner in life for 62 years. Hubert sparkled when he told everyone: “Meeting Chula was the greatest luck of my life!”

Hubert was an atheist, but he also was very active in outreach for the Meetings in which he participated. He attended Meeting for Worship regularly, and was able to participate in the spiritual nature of Meeting for Business. He believed that Quaker Meetings needed to appeal to a broad spectrum of people who were seeking to live their lives dedicated to justice and community.

Hubert loved life, and he was a happy man. His advice to others was: “Be happy!” “Be a better spouse!” “Stop war!” And, with a big smile and that characteristic fun-loving twinkle in his eye, he would further advise: “To stay young, go camping! At least once a year!”

Quote from Hubert on forgiveness: Neither believing in God nor in an afterlife, I cannot approach the matter in the same vein as some of you have. For me there is no judgment day, nor a heavenly forgiveness. Forgiveness will have to be in human terms, in this temporal world. What exactly is meant by to forgive? Would I forgive Hitler for his crimes? I am not sure this is a meaningful question. I certainly would seek justice for his acts and would "neither forgive nor forget", but just the same would not seek revenge. If a criminal genuinely repents, I would be willing to give the individual a chance for a new start, which does not mean eliminating punishment as the Amish themselves stated: they consider punishment legitimate and I do too. If you call me and hear my answering machine message you will know that it says: Justice Yes, War No.