Oshkosh resident John J. (Jack) Hogan, 83, passed away July 4th at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh. At his side were his beloved children, daughters-in-law, son-in-law and several of his grandchildren.
Born in Ashland, Wisconsin, Jack was raised in Sheboygan from the age of six, as the third of seven children of Jerome F. and Ruth B. Hogan. He attended Catholic primary and middle schools, including St. Clement and St. Dominic, and graduated from Sheboygan North High School in 1950.
Sports was his passion as a young man, and Jack excelled at basketball, golf, baseball and bowling. Throughout his adult years, his passion for golf continued to grow. His greatest accomplishments included five holes-in-one, and a score of 28 on the back-nine at Lakeshore Municipal golf course during competition.
Jack briefly attended Northland College in Ashland before being drafted into the Navy not long after hostilities escalated in Korea. At the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Jack earned all-star status within the center’s basketball league.
While training at a naval airbase outside Hutchinson, Kansas, Jack met his future wife, Lorene, a native of Sterling, Kansas. He served four years in the Naval Air Force – a significant portion at an airbase in Japan during the Korean War. He was a radar and radio operator on a USN P2V-5 aircraft that flew multiple missions over Korean coastal waters performing anti-submarine patrols and electronic reconnaissance of Soviet, North Korean and Communist Chinese operations.
Upon returning to the states, Jack and Lorene wed in 1956 and were blessed with their first child, Mari, who was born in Sterling, Kansas, a small burg in the sand hills of wheat country. Soon thereafter, the new family moved to Sheboygan, where Jack began his long career in the telephone industry. There, Jack and Lorene’s family expanded to include three more – Kevin, Kelly and Michael.
Throughout his career with several companies – Western Electric, Wisconsin Telephone Co. and Ameritech – Jack served many roles, including electronics technician and toll engineering manager. He retired in 1991 to spend more time with family and, of course, to polish his golf game.
Especially in his later years, the 3Gs were the brightest lights of his life – grandchildren, golf and the Green Bay Packers. His seven grandchildren (Jodi, Kristopher, Jennifer, Jessica, Anna, Ellie and Keira) were his finest sources of inspiration, and they brought out his natural wit, smile and charm.
Jack was raised alongside two older sisters (Joanne and Rosemary) and four younger brothers (Brian, William, Patrick and Dennis). All predeceased Jack, except Brian, who resides in Huntsville, Alabama. Jack’s father, Jerome, passed away in March 1941, leaving his mother, Ruth, and aunt Eleanor to raise the family of seven children. Jack’s wonderful mother, Ruth, passed away in February 2001 in Green Bay.
In April 2008, Jack’s wife, Lorene, passed away after a long-term illness. For several years, Jack lovingly served as her primary, at-home caregiver.
Jack, who was a devoted member of St. Raphael Catholic Church in Oshkosh, will be greatly missed by his family and the friends he touched throughout his long life. In particular, the family would like to acknowledge Jack’s very good friend and neighbor, Pierre Gilson, who provided endless support and friendship to Jack for many years, especially in the last several years of Jack’s life.
The family also wishes to specially thank Dr. Karen Gremminger and the ICU nursing staff at Mercy Medical Center; especially nurse Elaine, who cared for the entire family in Jack’s final hours.
Visitation will be on Friday, July 10, 2015 at St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, 830 S. Westhaven Dr., Oshkosh from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Funeral Mass at 12:00 p.m. Interment will follow at 1:00 p.m. with military honors at Riverside Cemetery, Oshkosh.
Memorial contributions to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Jack’s name will be welcomed.

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