Malcolm David Hoggan Jr.

Malcolm David “Dave” Hoggan, Junior, aged 90, beloved father, grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend, passed away after a very short illness, on Tuesday, 1 December, 2020, at Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Harrisonburg, Virginia, due to unexpected complications of the novel coronavirus.

Born in Cache Valley, Utah, Dave was adopted as a newborn by Malcolm David, Senior, and Beatrice Riley Hoggan, and reared in their loving homes in the Avenues of Salt Lake City, Utah, where he made lifelong friends.

Dave graduated from East High School (Class of ‘47), where he maintained lifelong friends via the alumni association. He attended the University of Utah, where he was a proud lifelong member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Delta-Sigma Chapter. Meeting his sweetheart of nearly 70 years at the University remained his favorite collegiate accomplishment. He and his beloved wife, Joyce Oliphant Hoggan, were married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on May 20, 1950. Their life continued in Salt Lake until Dave’s 1953 graduation with a Master of Science degree in Microbiology. A ten-year commission in the U.S. Army took them to the Presidio, San Francisco, California, where their son David was born (1956). The young family was then assigned to Baltimore, Maryland, where Dave completed his Doctor of Science degree in Public Health and Virology at Johns Hopkins University.

A new commission serving at the U.S. Army’s Institute of Pathology and the Public Health Service (PHS) followed, allowing the family to settle in suburban Washington, D.C. where Dave and his family enjoyed nearly five decades in Montgomery County, Maryland. The family added daughter Missy (1960), and made many lifetime friends there. Dr. Hoggan joined the National Institute of Allergies & Infectious Diseases (NIAID), at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1963. Throughout his career, his projects allowed him to partner with labs at Fort Detrick, MD, and across the country. Dr. Hoggan traveled the world speaking at conferences and visiting laboratories and medical facilities exchanging his knowledge with other medical research professionals. A foot-high stack of published papers, and attending books, that he either authored or co-authored, attests to the quality and length of his professional contributions. Dave received numerous medals, commendations, and accolades throughout his medical research career, too numerous to note here.

Dr. Hoggan retired as a senior scientist in the Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, NIAID, after 29 years of service to NIH and the PHS. The former chief of the laboratory said, at the time of Dave’s 1992 retirement, “Dr. Hoggan is an eminent scientist whose work has furthered research on a number of different viruses…. One of [Hoggan’s] most important contributions occurred in 1975 when he demonstrated that a parvovirus, the adeno-associated virus, was able to integrate copies of its DNA genome into mammalian cells. This finding has opened doors to the development and use of parvoviruses as vectors in gene therapy.” Dr. Hoggan was also one of the Nation’s first researchers assigned to study, and seek a cure for, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS/HIV). Other of his major projects involved studying and seeking links between viruses and cancer. He never stopped being curious, and desiring to make the world a better, more healthful, place for all. All told, Dave's military service to his country totalled 39 years, and he retired with the rank of Captain, U.S. Navy.

An outdoorsman and loving family man, Dave enjoyed taking his family traveling, camping, skiing, caving, canoeing, and hiking. Dave served as a scouting Explorer leader for many years, and maintained connections with those young men all of his life.

Veteran travelers to over 50 countries around the world, in retirement, Dave and his dear Joyce embarked on the favorite adventure of their married life. That was to live in, and teach, for three years (1992-1995) in Hangzhou, China, at Zhejiang Medical University (Dave directing two departments; Joyce teaching English) via the Kennedy International Center through Brigham Young University. The 39 young students, and colleagues, from their 1990 and 1991 classes remained among their most beloved friends. The couple considered their time spent in China to be the most valuable and interesting contributions made in their lives. Right up until the end, a day had not passed during which Dave did not speak of his love for China and the Chinese people. Dave was able to return to China for a final two-month visit in May-June 2019, accompanied by his daughter and granddaughter, and was reunited with nine of his original students. Many of his former students found their ways to the United States years ago, and have become successful doctors and researcher, also raising multiple American children who referred to Dr. Hoggan as “Grandpa Big Nose,” which he loved.

Dave made his winter home on the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina for many years (2002-2018), where he leaves behind many fond friends. Following his dear Joyce’s passing (2016), Dave continued their pattern of living between the OBX and their part-time home in Salt Lake City, Utah.

At the time of his passing, he and his daughter lived together between their homes at Massanutten, Virginia, and Salt Lake City. One of the highlights of Dave’s life since Joyce’s death was working summers as a volunteer interpreter of history at This is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake. Dave worked in the Godbe-Pitts Drugstore, enthralling visitors with his 1850’s medical knowledge about which he was passionate.

Dave was a spiritual man, and man of firm faith, who honored his priesthood, and fully engaged regularly in every kind of generous, compassionate service, whether it was received by assignment during his lifetime membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or his personal thoughts and revelations about what was needed by someone in his purview.

Dr. Hoggan was preceded in death by his parents; his cherished wife, Joyce; a sister, Carolyn Hoggan Larsen, her husband Vernon S. Larsen; a brother- and sister-in-law, E. Wheeler and Carole Lake Oliphant; second brother-in-law, Roger A. Oliphant (Diane); brothers-in-law Carl L. Betts and C. Kent Bennion (Janice); nephews Blair C. Oliphant, Arden Oliphant, and Neil W. Oliphant; and grand-niece Emma Oliphant Cunningham.

“Dad,” “Papa” and “Uncle Dave” was known by his family and friends as warm, gentle, patient, funny, feisty, loving, and generous. He leaves behind son David A. Hoggan (Fatima), Vienna, Virginia; granddaughters, Roxanne N. Hoggan and Lila N. Hoggan; daughter Melissa “Missy” Hoggan Groppel, Massanutten, Virginia; sister-in-law Janice O. Betts Bennion; brother-in-law Lincoln C. Oliphant (Donna); many loving nieces and nephews; and many friends.

Dave’s immediate family, all located in the east, expresses their love and thanks to their extended western family for assuming the honor of escorting his body to its final resting place. Arrangements for Dr. Hoggan are by Holbrook Mortuary.

Family only will bid a short farewell to Dr. Hoggan, on Thursday, 17 December, at the Holbrook Mortuary Chapel, 3251 S 2300 E, Salt Lake City, followed by interment next to the resting place of the body of his cherished wife, at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.

At a later date, post-pandemic, Dr. Hoggan’s family will invite all friends and family to travel to a joyous reunion and memorial event reflective of his time and interests in mortality.

Expressions of tribute to honor Dr. Hoggan, in lieu of flowers, may be directed to the Organization for Autism Research, www.researchautism.org.