Jane Hogan

Jane Clark Hogan of West Des Moines died at The Kavanagh House Hospice on March 14, 2020 after surviving years of illness under the compassionate care of her husband of sixty-three years, Paul Richard Hogan.

Jane was born to James and Gertrude Clark in Rochester, Minnesota, on February 13, 1934. She graduated from The Iowa State Teachers College (now The University of Northern Iowa) in 1955 as class valedictorian.

Jane became a teacher, but not in the traditional sense. From behind the circulation desk of The Waterloo Public Library, she taught others how to love reading as much as she did. With the Communication Workers of America, she taught employees how to organize. As a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she taught children how to play the hand they were dealt, at the card table and in life. Jane could teach you how to diagram a sentence, reel in a bass, piece together a quilt, make a perfect apple pie, accept the things you cannot change, stand up for a cause you believe in, and how to personify The Camp Fire watchwords: Work, Health, Love.

Through her work in local, state, and national politics, Jane was a life-long advocate for pay equity, public engagement, and electing candidates who shared her commitment to women’s rights, workers’ rights, and children.

Jane and Paul Hogan celebrated their sixty-third wedding anniversary in August. Together they created a warm and welcoming home, as well as a summer cabin, where friends became family and cousins became the best of friends. Their deeply-rooted, shared values and commitment to one another enabled them to overcome life’s challenges, including Jane’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis five years ago. Jane passed peacefully certain of one thing, she was loved.

Jane is also survived by her sister: Judith Clark Turpin (David); by her children: Sarah (Randy Robinson), Jill (Howard Wong), Timothy (Teresa), John (Steven Fields), Peter, and Christopher; by her grandchildren: Casey Christensen Love (Chris), Rachel Christensen Klein (Eric), Jesse Christensen, Molly Robinson (Ben Huffman), Dan Robinson, Sam Hogan (Colleen), Grace Hogan Lemack (Sam), Charlie Hogan, Andrew Wong, and Cory Wong (Pam); and by her great-grandchildren: Aurelia and Ronin Love, Claire, Ellie and Caleb Wong, and Hogan Klein.

The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 pm Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 am Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1627 Grand Ave. in West Des Moines, with burial to follow at Jordan Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter or the Camp Hantesa Fund in Boone, Iowa.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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