Leroy Hogan

Leroy Hogan of Cleveland, Georgia went to Heaven Wednesday, July 13, 2016, after a lengthy illness.  His spirit lives on in his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Leroy was born on December 16, 1928 to Watson and Bertie Carpenter Hogan.   He was the seventh of eight children.  He grew up in the area of Leaf, where he attended school.  He began working at a very early age, when children should be playing and laughing with their friends.  He worked hard all his life doing a variety of things.  Driving lumber to Atlanta as a child, during the war.  WWII, not the great war which is what he called WWI; being a sawmiller in the heat of a Georgia summer; raising hens and selling eggs until President Kennedy authorized the importing of eggs from Poland, raising broiler and running a lumber yard. 

Many of the churches in the area have been built with lumber donated by Hogan Lumber.  Leroy was a member of Union Grove Holiness Church, when he sat near the back and closed his eyes in prayer near the beginning of the service and opened them near the end.  He was taken to Camp Meeting by his parents from the time of his beginning.  The child would fall asleep under the pews in the sawdust covering the floor and was once left there as everyone went home.  He woke up in the dark and had to find his way home. 

Leroy was an avid racing fan and enjoyed nothing more than traveling the country with the team his two sons built and watching his grandson wheel the short tracks of the southeast.  Winning or losing he was ready to get to the track and back home just as fast. 

One of Leroy’s joys was going to Ma Gooch’s, now known as J.W. Reed’s.  He would go for breakfast, stay long, then go back for dinner.  It was one of his happiest times, sharing stories with his friends. 

Leroy was preceded in death by his wife and mother of his children, Margaret Burns Hogan.  His parents, Watson Hogan and Bertie Carpenter Hogan, his sisters Gladys Hogan Irvin Rogers, Hazel Hogan Bowen,  and Oliva Marian Hogan.  He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Glen Hogan, Hoyt Hogan and Wallace Hogan. 

He is survived by Elsie Simpson Hogan, his children, Rebecca and Douglas Giles of Dalton, Tommy and Debra Hogan of Cleveland, and Jimmy and Paula Hogan of Cleveland; step son, Mitchell Simpson; a niece that he raised , Pat Hogan Hunt; his grandchildren, Aimee and Matt Saathoff, Andy and Sloan Giles, Sabrina Lee, and Jason and Chelsey Hogan.  great-grandchildren, Alexandria Dempsey, Bailey Lee, Hastin Lee, Ashton and Archer Saathoff; step grandson Mac Simpson, step granddaughter Katie Simpson sister, Ernestine Ellett of Vancouver, Wa. sister-in-law, Jane Burns, Lois Hogan, and Lola Hogan and 29 nieces and nephews; three special nieces, Sandra Gravitt, Angie McAllister and Kristy Hall who have been his caregivers during his illness.  His wish was to die at home in bed.  God granted him his request. 

Funeral services will be held at 11 am Saturday July 16, 2016 at Union Grove Congregational Holiness Church.  The Rev. Paul Flynn and the Rev. Junior Sosebee will officiate.  Interment will be in the Church Cemetery. 

The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 pm Friday at the funeral home. 

Online condolences may be made to the family at barrettfh.com. 

Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland.