Mae Hogg

Mae Hogg passed away Friday, June 6, at her home surrounded by her children and grandchildren as they sang her favorite hymn, "In the Garden". She was 94 years old. Born Verlia Mae Kennedy, May 7, 1931, to Wallace and Myrtle Kennedy in Barrineau Park, Florida, she moved with her family to Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas. In Little Rock, Arkansas, she met the love of her life, Med Hogg, and the two married after a brief courtship as Med was being transferred west. She said, "We honeymooned all the way to Phoenix." Mae and Med were married 72 years at his death in 2020. They were honored by the Louisiana Family Forum for being one of the longest married couples in the state. She and Med moved from Phoenix to St. Louis, then to New Orleans, and finally to Baton Rouge in 1959. Along the way they had five children: Tommy, Judy, Jimmy, Trudy, and Johnny. A vivacious, joyous woman, Mae never met a stranger. God was always first in Mae's life, and she loved telling people about Jesus. At her witness, many people came to believe in Jesus. At her prayers, many people were healed and had relationships restored. People would drop in her home for prayer and counsel, and she always graciously welcomed them. Her home was filled with singing, scripture, and prayer. She was a member of the former Florida Boulevard Baptist Church, and continued monthly Bible studies, prayer meeting, and lunch with the Alpha Class Sunday School ladies for decades, hosting the gathering for the last four years. She was a Prayer Warrior with Franklin Graham's ministry Operation Christmas Child and was active in Women Praying for Women. She was regularly featured on her son Jim's radio program "Sunday Morning in Hogg Heaven" where she would offer wisdom and prayer. Mae's passion was her family. Each child felt like the favorite. She always wanted the details of what was happening in their lives. Called Mae Mae by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she lavished love on each one and prayed for each one daily. She was a wonderful homemaker and a fabulous cook, famous for Mae Mae's Perfect Pound Cake. She and Med kept a vegetable garden for many years, and she enjoyed picking and preparing home grown vegetables. She also grew beautiful flowers and treasured the rose garden her husband planted for her. Mae and Med enjoyed traveling and cruising. They toured Europe, the Mediterranean, Canada, Hawaii and much of the continental USA. They celebrated their 50th anniversary at a castle in Scotland. Her favorite trip of all was to the Holy Land. Her career life was varied. She began as a Mary Kay Consultant, then was a real estate agent, jewelry store manager, and finally helped her husband in his home-based transportation consulting business. Mae is preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Tommy Hogg; grandson, Evan Kennedy Mills; sisters, Norma Letort, Alma Roberts, Ola Ruddick, Glenda Legg; and brother, James Wallace Kennedy. She is survived by her children and their spouses, Judy Mills, Jim and Linda Hogg, Trudy and Tom Kiggans, John and Lauren Hogg; and her grandchildren Rebekah Owens (Sean), Matthew Kiggans (Leighanne), Mary Margaret Parker (Tyler), Daniel Kiggans (Carlee), Austin Hogg (Diana), Gabrielle Hogg, and James Linden Hogg; sister, Bobbie Sanford; along with a host of great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held Saturday, June 14, at 10:00am at Jefferson Baptist Church, 9135 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA. The service will begin at 11:00. The burial will take place immediately after at Greenoaks Memorial Park, 9595 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA. "Many daughters have done well, but thou excellest them all." Proverbs 31:29