Jack Hogan (Venezuela and staff) dies
I loved Jack He was the best of the best. I am so sorry to hear of his passing. The…
John Hogan
Published in The Washington Post on July 26, 2019
On July 22, 2019 John P. Hogan (age 81) passed away peacefully. Proud of his Irish Brooklyn, NY upbringing, Jack was a citizen of the world. Working overseas in many different countries, he was always happy to return to his Brookland home in Washington, DC. Jack had a passion for social justice and service, striving to make the world a better place and inspiring others to do the same. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mary Jo, and daughters, Pilar Closkey (Sean), Maura Donohue (Brendan), and Clare Reidy (Patrick) and nine grandchildren who will miss him dearly.A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, August 6 at 10 a.m. at the Franciscan Monastery at 1400 Quincy St NE. Family will receive friends before mass at 9 a.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Joseph’s Carpenter Society, 20 Church Street, Camden, NJ 08105.”
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JCoyne note: Jack Hogan was one of the very few PCVs who went against Shriver’s direction and made the Peace Corps his career. He was a Volunteer in Venezuela 1964-66; Peace Corps Staff in Colombia 1966-68; Peace Corps Staff Burkina Faso 1979-82; and PC/HQ 1989-97. It was during this period in D.C. where he was briefly the Acting Director of the Agency, making him the first RPCV to hold that position in the Peace Corps.
Good Bye, Jack, from me, and from some of our Nuevomexicanos who knew you — Andres “Andy” Hernandez, Jasin Edwards, Dick Griscom, and others, who pioneered the early Peace Corps.
All of you did well with a then-uncertain concept, faith in American young people (and some oldies, too) of that era, And for the volunteers who worked with you, I’m sure, too, that you worked through many of those difficult times that every PCV experienced, it made a difference, I think.
Rest in Peace, old friend. I know your Irish forebears, looking down from a Better Place, are equally proud. John Turnbull Ghana-3 Geology and Nyasaland/Malawi-2 Geology Assignment. 1963, -64, -65.
Farewell Jack.
Profound thanks for all your accomplishments at Peace Corps! It was a delight to work with you and learn so much from you!
See you soon!….
Ken
To John Coyne: I worked for PC/Washington during the time Jack Hogan was acting director of the agency. (And so did you.) I didn’t know he was the first RPCV in that capacity.
Jack, you were the best, and we worked well together in Tolima 1966-1968. I’m sad we were not in touch in recent years. It was fun hearing Ed R tell of subsequent connections when you sent him to Swaziland. I’d have loved to hear your accounts of Pere Aristide, and your studies in Paris. I look forward to meeting again in God’s good time.
Only now have I learned of Jack’s passing and I am so sorry to hear. I first met Jack when I took on a temporary job at Peace Corps headquarters around 1990 after finishing my Peace Corps service and as I was looking to break into the development field. Jack was a great mentor for me, and helped influence me to continue my work overseas. I followed his lead and had the opportunity to later return to Peace Corps a few times, as a technical trainer, then APCD, Program Training Officer, Country Director, and finally as Chief of Operations for Africa Region at HQ. I was fortunate enough to see Jack at a Peace Corps gathering in the fall of 2018 before his passing, where he was, as always, full of positive energy and vitality. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work with him and Peace Corps was certainly fortunate to have a man of his character as a constant advocate over the years. He’ll be missed.
I loved Jack He was the best of the best. I am so sorry to hear of his passing. The world is a better place because of his being in it. Jim Roberts RPCV, Colombia.
jimroberts500@gmail.com