Monica V. Hogan

Monica Hogan, 85, of Oviedo, Florida passed away September 26,2021

Monica was born in Liverpool, England to Richard Wilson and Susan McCabe Wilson and was 8th in a family of 10 children. She was the only one born in a hospital. When she was three years old, England began making preparations for the war with Germany. One of the things that was done was to send the children in the large cities to the countryside. Monica’s brothers and sisters were sent, but Monica, her sister Joyce and brother David remained with her mother and father because they were too young. The blitz in Liverpool was second only to London because of its port and manufacturing. Monica remembers incendiary bombs hitting a house just down the street from their Wormbrook Road home in Enfield. During this time her father passed. She remembers that someone had to lift her to see into his coffin which was in the living room of their house. After the war, she went with her mother and her aunt Rose to get her brothers and sisters. It was said that Monica was the first to tell them their father had passed.

The conditions after the war did not return to normal for many years. Rationing continued and Monica remembers needing a “shilling” to put into the meter to have electricity. The family moved to Bingley Road. The homes were small, and the sisters had to sleep 4 to a bed, but she had a happy childhood.They played “rounders” (similar to baseball) and went to the swings in Stanley Park. Francis Smythe,was one of her childhood friends, lived at the top of the road and in a twist of fate they were reunited when both moved to Orlando. Monica went to All Saints School and completed her formal education at the age of 14 (at that time you continued only if you were university bound).

Four of her sisters married “yanks”. When Monica was 21, she and a friend got positions as nannies in America. She worked for a doctor in Massachusetts. After a year, she and her friend went to her friends’ sisters’ home in Buffalo. After a time they went to Colorado. While there, Monica married and was blessed with Coleen. The marriage did not last, and she returned to England live with her mother in Liverpool.

When her mother passed, she returned to America and settled in Orlando where five of her sisters were living. Monica loved being in America and with five sisters living nearby it was “home from home” for her. There she met and married Elton. The family was blessed with the birth of their son Andrew and her family was complete.

Monica loved people. Whether it was her English accent or her “Scouse” (Liverpudlian) ways and sayings, she was unique and made friends easily. Monica was fun loving, charming and big hearted. She always tried to be sure everyone she was with enjoyed themselves and she would always “leave them with a laugh”. One of her friends said that Monica “never met a stranger”.

Her home reflected her outgoing personality, full of fun and love. It had a distinctly English flavor. Her teacup collection, Princess Diana plates and her cup of tea (with milk) left no doubt about where she was born. Her favorite meal to prepare was Sunday dinner of roast beef with “roastie” potatoes but she will be remembered for her Trifle. Unusual in America and there was never any left over.

Monica never drove or had a cell phone. She would always “need a lift”. The idea of being chauffeured was a perfect fit for her personality. If you dropped her off, you would get a call to pick her up from a strange cell phone name of someone she had met. She had made another friend.

She was devoted to family. Every Friday night she and all her sisters would get together to talk about old times. Coleen and Andrew and their families were always on her mind. Her grandchildren and great grandchild were very special to her and they could do no wrong. Monica doted on them constantly.

Monica is preceded by her brothers and sisters Joseph, Ann, Mary, Rosalyn, Marjorie, Doreen, Shelia, David and Joyce.

She is survived by her husband of 46 years Elton R. Hogan, Jr., her daughter Coleen, son Andrew, son-in-law Donald, daughter-in law Patricia, her grandchildren Megan, Kristen, Samantha, Nolan, Riley and great grandson Robert.

Funeral Mass will be held at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church followed by burial at St. Luke’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations to your local Hospice are requested.