Memorial Service

An online memorial service for David Hogan was held on Saturday, August 8^th 2020. Below is a recording of the service.

Obituary

On July 4, 2020, David Patrick Hogan, loving husband and father of one son, passed away from heart failure at the age of 74. Originally from Trenton, New Jersey, he had made his home in Georgetown, TX since 2009.

David enlisted in the Air Force following high school graduation from Hamilton High School West, serving from 1963-67 during the build-up to U.S.’s involvement in Vietnam. He achieved the rank of non-commissioned officer E4, flying helicopters as a crewman and jet engine mechanic. After the Air Force, he was hired as a technical representative for Xerox Corp and retired in 2002. During his 30 years with Xerox, he lived and worked in Hawaii for five years and attended college there before moving to Minneapolis, MN in the 70s where he met his future wife Christine at a dance.

To impress Christine, he took up her passion for cross country skiing and was willing to go with her in sub-zero temperatures, a far cry from body surfing in sunny Hawaii. After a two-year courtship, the couple married in 1979 and lived in Minnesota where they raised their son, Thad.

Dave was a dedicated dad. Thad fondly recalls the bedtime stories that Dave made up for him as a child, many of which are recorded on old cassette tapes. Dave encouraged and supported his son in whatever interest he had and when it turned out it was the world of computers, Dave would patiently spend hours in bookstores as Thad perused huge technical computer programming books Dave would then buy for him. Throughout college, he was Thad’s mentor.

Following Thad’s graduation from college and Christine’s retirement from teaching in 2006, they decided to sell their home and furnishings and try full-time life on the road in an RV. Through this lifestyle, they met and made many lasting friends and got to explore where they might eventually settle after three years on the road. They decided on Sun City in Georgetown, Texas.

Over the years, Dave pursued various interests. Drag racing his ‘64 red Corvette back East was an early passion and his favorite quote was by William Tyler Jenkins, “Drag racers are people who spend money they don’t have, to buy things they don’t need to impress people they don’t know.” Dave did all his own work on cars, including re-building engines. Later Dave owned a 1986 turbo-charged Buick Regal that he raced in MN where Christine and Thad cheered him on to the finish line. He was proud of his great reflexes at the light. His only real regret was selling his favorite car, a 1957 two-door Chevy model 210 coupe 350 V8.

Dave was fascinated by weather phenomenon and studied meteorology in college. It was one reason he moved from Hawaii to Minnesota where the weather was much more interesting. Dave always knew when a thunderstorm was coming. He could sense it and would rush the family into a safe place, while he avidly watched its formation.

Dave had many abilities as a handyman. He finished the lower levels of two homes the family owned. He was carpenter, electrician, and plumber all-in-one. He also built his young son an impressive fort and play area in the backyard and an elaborate model train city that took up an entire room in the basement. Christine was never sure exactly for whom it was intended, but they both spent many hours together enjoying it.

Although he couldn’t play an instrument and refused to sing, Dave really enjoyed music. In his later years, he spent time on the computer looking for and listening to groups he liked when he was younger; such as, the Rolling Stones. When Dave and Christine moved to Georgetown, TX, he added country western music to his repertoire and learned to two-step, an activity they really enjoyed together.

Playing Hand and Foot and Mexican Train with friends became a regular social pastime and Dave looked forward to these get togethers. He got a kick out of loudly announcing he could go into his foot “Right Now!” And he teased Christine relentlessly that he was peeking at her tiles. He was known for his quick wit and sense of humor.

The past five years of his life, Dave progressively struggled with heart failure but would be seen regularly at the Fitness Center where he was determined to keep exercising for health. He always had a ready smile for everyone.

David was preceded in death by his father Joseph and his mother Anna as well as his brother Ronald Hogan and sister Margaret Guidotti. He is survived by his devoted wife Christine and son Thaddeus.

A very good man, husband and father, has gone from this world. Dave will be dearly missed and never forgotten. May he rest in peace.

David will be interred at Fort Snelling Cemetery in Minnesota at a future date.