Ray Hogan

Ray Hogan, 87, of Polson, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 30, 2009 at home in Polson surrounded by family and friends at his beloved 'Bony Fingers Ranch'. Ray was born on October 10, 1922 in Walhalla, ND, a son of the late Albin Hogan and Julia Frank Hogan who raised 13 children. Ray graduated from eighth grade in ND and received his high school equivalence certificate in Minneapolis, MN. Ray also attended college in St. Cloud, MN and studied art. Ray was a veteran of WWII. He enlisted in the Navy on March 19, 1942 and served his country as Gunners Mate. He was honorably discharged on October 19, 1945. Ray married Shirley Ann Witczek on April 23, 1949 in Minneapolis, MN and started their family and raised 6 children. He worked as a wallpaper hanger and as a painter. Ray took a trip to Montana to visit his sister, Gladys Pendergast, who owned and operated a guest ranch near Glacier National Park. After that, there was no turning back for him. He went back to Minneapolis, packed up his family and headed to 'Big Sky Country' in 1973 and never looked back. He loved the untouched beauty of Montana as well as the 'wildness' of Montana and the sense of adventure it had to offer. He moved from Hungry Horse, MT to Polson in 1979 and continued working as a wallpaper hanger and painter, but his real love and interest was in trimming trees, running his own saw mill on his property and wood working. Ray had a passion for organic gardening. He was the ultimate guru when it came to planning and raising tomatoes. Ray enjoyed canning the fruits of his labor from the garden with his wife Shirley. He always gave credit for his canning ability to his mother Julia, who was a self sufficient, hard working woman who had to make all the homemade bread and do all the canning on the farm in ND to feed all of the kids. Besides his parents, Ray is preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Ann Hogan, a daughter, Maureen Tallea Martin, sisters: Genevive Blaine, Esther Hopperstead, Gladys Pendergast, Betty Stygles, Geraldine Robbins, and infant sister, Mildred, brothers: Clinton Hogan and Leslie Hogan. Ray is survived by daughters Jenny Ione Hogan (Vern Davis) of Polson, MT, Tamara (Jerry) Puglia of Hungry Horse, MT, and sons Dan Hogan of Polson, MT, Mark (Merri) Hogan of Missoula, MT, and Jeff Hogan of Great Falls, MT, sisters: Elaine Hagerty of Camas, WA, Bernice 'Bonnie' Hage of Baltic, SD, and brothers, Floyd Hogan of Nampa, ID, and Ralph Hogan of Seattle, WA. Ray is also survived by 9 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service for Ray will be held at 'Bony Fingers Ranch' in Polson in late spring or early summer of 2010. Notification of date for memorial will be available early spring 2010. We encourage and invite all family and friends to attend. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks and much appreciation to all the individuals with Partners in Home Care Hospice for providing professional quality assistance and comfort in making it possible for Ray to be at home and be surrounded by his family, friends and loved ones during his time of transition. Ray was an active member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. Any cards of condolence/sympathy can be sent to Jenny Hogan at: 41150 Bay Point Road, Polson MT 59860. Messages of condolence may also be sent to the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. Grogan Funeral Home, Polson, is assisting the family.
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