Mary Sue Hubbard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Mary Sue Hubbard |
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| Born: | June 17, 1931 Rockdale, Texas, United States |
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| Died: | November 25, 2002 United States |
| Occupation: | Author, Marriage Hats Auditor, Scientology |
| Spouse: | L. Ron Hubbard |
| Children: | 4 |
| Website: | International Freezone Association, tribute |
This article forms part of a series on Scientology |
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Concepts
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Mary Sue Hubbard (born Mary Sue Whipp) (17 June 1931–25 November 2002 [1]) was the third wife of American pulp fiction author [1][2] and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. She was involved in the incorporation of the first Church of Scientology in December 1953 in New Jersey together with her husband and John Galusha.[3]
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[edit] First lady of Scientology
Mary Sue Hubbard was often regarded as the "first lady" of Scientology. Mary Sue and Ron were married from March 1952 to his death on January 24, 1986, and had four children. She became a controversial figure late in life due to a criminal conviction involving Operation Snow White, a Scientology-backed espionage program which was the single largest infiltration of the United States government in history.[4]
[edit] Early life
Whipp was born in Rockdale, Texas but raised in Houston, graduating with a BA from University of Texas. She gave up a potential career in petroleum research to study dianetics, receiving her Hubbard Dianetic Auditors Certificate in Wichita, Kansas in 1951. She became a staff auditor and a research auditor. After she married Ron, she accompanied her husband to Phoenix, Arizona where they established the first organisation. She controlled the office of L.Ron Hubbard at 1405 North Central Avenue where the Hubbard Association of Scientologists was born. During a power struggle within the group, Mary Sue became ill and her husband took her to the UK. While he was there several dianetic groups asked him to form an organization and they proceeded to do so. Shortly afterwards, the Hubbards' first child, Diana, was born.
[edit] Active in the organization
When the British organization was consolidated, Hubbard and her husband visited Spain and then moved to Camden, New Jersey to better organize U.S. Scientology. Mary Hubbard and her husband later moved back to Phoenix where Quentin and Suzette were born.
As well as being a mother and running a household at that time, Mary Sue found time to hold every post within the organization as well as assisting her husband in his continual development of Scientology.
In 1955 she helped establish the Washington organization and was its first academy supervisor. After several months abroad she returned to Washington and in 1958 Arthur was born. She then helped establish the international headquarters at Saint Hill, UK, in 1959.
Right up to 1964 Hubbard assisted her husband. Later she headed the Church's Guardian's Office.
[edit] Writings
Mary Sue's books published through the Church include such works as The Book of E-Meter Drills and Marriage Hats. Mary Sue also authored the official Scientology policy letter HCO PL 5 Apr 72, Issue I, "PTS Type A Handling", although her name no longer appears on current copies. [2]
[edit] Operation Snow White
- Main article: Operation Snow White
In 1979 she was convicted of conspiracy against the United States Government for her role in Operation Snow White, in which Scientology operatives committed infiltration, wiretapping, and theft of documents in government offices, most notably those of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. [3] This came after an FBI raid on Church of Scientology offices in Los Angeles, CA, in which another illegal plot, Operation Freakout, also came to light. [4] [5]
[edit] Disconnection
The furor over Mary Sue's trial and subsequent guilty plea, along with tactics employed by Mary Sue's Guardian's Office, were an embarrassment for the Church, and Mary Sue was shunned (or "disconnected") from the Church where she once was a top leader. In a 1998 interview, David Miscavige told how he, then a young Commodore's Messenger, "thought the church would actually disintegrate" from infighting and legal troubles. Miscavige and others decided that, for the good of Scientology, the Church had to disconnect with Mary Sue. In 1981, in two heated debates, the 21-year-old Miscavige persuaded Mary Sue to give up her position as head of Scientology's powerful Guardian's Office, all without L. Ron Hubbard himself being aware of what Miscavige was up to. “I knew if it was going to be a physical takeover we’re going to lose because they had a couple thousand staff and we (the “messengers”) had about 50. That is the amazing part about it."[5]
Mary Sue's death in November 2002 went unacknowledged by the Church of Scientology or any of its publications. Her name was quietly removed from the International Association of Scientologists and its "Impact" magazine.[6] Her name cannot be found on the official Scientology website, scientology.org.[6]
In 1988 her name was removed from the Book of E-Meter Drills and Scientology catalogs now list her husband L. Ron Hubbard as the sole author. Her book Marriage Hats is no longer in print and no longer sold or mentioned on any official Church of Scientology website or catalog. [7]
[edit] References
- ^ Atack, Jon (1990). A Piece of Blue Sky. New York, NY: Carol Publishing Group. ISBN 0-8184-0499-X.
- ^ Hubbard, L. Ron. Pulpateer. Church of Scientology International. Retrieved on June 7, 2006.
- ^ 'Church of American Science' (incorporation papers); 'Church of Scientology' (incorporation papers); 'Church of Spiritual Engineering', (incorporation papers); 18 December 1953
- ^ Ortega, Tony. "Double Crossed", Phoenix New Times, New Times Media, 1999-12-23. Retrieved on June 12, 2006.
- ^ http://www.sptimes.com/TampaBay/102598/scientologypart3.html
- ^ http://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Mary+Sue%22+site%3Ascientology.org accessed 2006-10-21
[edit] External links
- Hubbard, Mary Sue. Mary Sue Hubbard, A Tribute. Tribute site. International Freezone Association. Retrieved on October 14, 2006.
- Snoeck, Michel. The story of Mary Sue Hubbard (1931-2002) (personal site). A summary of her achievements and downfall. Retrieved on October 14, 2006.
- Mary Sue Hubbard's letter to Sir John Foster (personal site). Critical site. Operation Clambake. Retrieved on October 14, 2006. Information from the Foster Report
