Obituary: Alvin Anthony Hogan (1925-2013)

Born July 26th 1925 in Providence, Rhode Island, former Mountain View resident Alvin Anthony Hogan died in the city of Santa Clara on May 3rd 2013. He was 87.

A veteran of WWII, Hogan joined the Merchant Marines shortly after Pearl Harbor. He was trained as a stationary engineer and served the war in the European theater.

After WWII, Hogan returned home to Providence. In 1949 he moved to Seattle, WA on the advice of his best friend John Hunt. There Hogan began work as the business agent of the National Maritime Union. What he didn't realize, was that move would be the best choice he ever made. After just a short time in Seattle, Hogan met Barbara Jean Hogan, the love of his life and future wife of 49 years.

They only dated a few months before they knew that they were meant to be together as husband and wife. On October 8, 1950, they married.

They started a family right away and were blessed with five children, Linda Anne Hogan, Michael Anthony Hogan, John Joseph Hogan, Nancy Jean Hogan and Janice Marie Hogan.

Hogan continued to work with the Union in Seattle until 1960, at which time he retired from the Union and the couple bought a small corner grocery store. They then moved to Portland, OR in 1962. Al went back to sea as a Merchant Marine.

On March 6, 1964 the ship he was working on, the Bunker Hill, blew up.Hogan and most of the Crew survived many hours in Puget Sound until they were rescued by the Coast Guard. This was a story that he told many times, it was truly a life altering moment for him.

In June of 1965 the family relocated to Mountain View, CA where they settled. Al continued to work as a stationary engineer at Libby's in Sunnyvale, Moffett Field and then settled at San Jose Hospital for 17 years before his retirement in 1986. 

After retiring he enjoyed spending time working with his son Mike at Alpine Auto Sales, Mike's business. Both Hogan and his wife enjoyed spending time with family, especially after the grandchildren began to arrive. They also enjoyed trips to Reno and the family poker night. The best thing about them is they truly enjoyed an evening at home together.

In 1998, after a long illness, Barbara passed away. This of course was very difficult for him. A couple of years after her passing Hogan, moved from his mobile home, in with his oldest daughter Linda. Linda had just bought a home in Santa Clara and wanted him to live with her. One day Linda heard him say to his sister Anne, "Anne, I'm living in a neighborhood again," that made Linda so happy, to know that Dad liked his new home.

For the next 12 years Hogan enjoyed spending time with the family. He always loved a family get together with good food and perhaps a bocce tournament, a poker game, or Left, Right Center. He also was able to enjoy some wonderful family vacations. This included a cruise to Mexico and a cruise to the Caribbean. The best part of cruising for him was sleeping in, family dinners, the casino and of course room service all night long. Nothing was more enjoyable than to be with his children and of course his grand children. He was also able to make three trips to Rhode Island to visit with his beloved sister Anne and her wonderful family. Many miles separated the siblings, but it was so important, to them both, to speak each week and stay connected. They were each other's best friends.

As a family we will miss our Dad, Alvin A. We realize how blessed he and we have been. Al lived 87 happy and healthy years. He was able to enjoy many wonderful hours with his family. 

Hogan was preceded in death by his wife Barbara, grand-daughter Alisha Marie Smith, mother Anna, his father Frank, infant brother Raymond, brother Francis and sister Ethel.

He's survived by his daughter Linda Hogan, son Mike Hogan and his wife Pat Hogan, children, Jason, Katie and Scott; son John Hogan and his wife Joanne Hogan, their son John Hogan Jr., his wife Sara and their children Kyle, Paige and Drew; daughter Nancy (Hogan) Green and her husband Mark Green, children Amy Green, Amy's son Jackson and her Fiancé Rudy Camacho, Lori Green and her Fiancé Rogelio Ramirez; daughter Janice (Hogan) Dube and her husband Mike Dube, Janice's children, Brandon Smith and Kieley Smith; his sister Anne (Hogan) Dutra, nephew Paul Dutra, niece Nancy (Dutra) Curran, nephew Jim Dutra and nephew Francis Hogan.

Visitation will take place Wednesday May 8, at 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Cusimano Family Colonial Mortuary, 96 W. El Camino Real in Mountain View. The funeral mass will take place Thursday May 9, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Athanasius Church, 160 N. Rengstorff in Mountain View followed by the burial at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 22555 Cristo Rey Dr., Los Altos.

A Celebration of Hogan's Life will follow the Burial service at his home at 619 Salberg Ave., Santa Clara.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Hospice of the Valley, www.hospicevalley.org, a non-profit organization. This is the Hospice organization we used and they were a wonderful support system for us and our Dad.

This obituary has been provided courtesy of the Cusimano Family Colonial Mortuary.

More on Mountain View Patch:

• Obituary: Shirley Jean deSwarte (1935-2013)
• Robert Smithwick Remembered as 'Capital F' Founder
• Obituary: Miguel A. Velasco Jr. (1949-2013)
• Erik Onorato's Life Celebrated a Year After His Death
• Mountain View Death Notices: Mar. 5 to Mar. 27

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