Joseph L. Hogan

Joseph Louis Hogan, “Joe” was a true Brooklyn boy. Born in 1944 to Bea and Jim Hogan, he and his brother Jim grew up in Bay Ridge within a clan of grandparents, aunts, uncles and a tribe of cousins. He was a cradle Catholic, attending parish grammar schools and serving as an altar boy and member of the school choir and singing … ice cream! St. Augustine’s HS introduced him to the Brothers of the Christian Schools whose teaching and faith example led to his entering the Community after HS and taking the name Brother Joseph Ignatius. Joe was a natural born teacher with enthusiasm for history and religious subjects, and the Irish gift of gab that propelled his sharing of those—a lot! He attended Catholic U in DC, immersed in the history of the day, and after graduation, was assigned to teach in St. Cecilia’s grammar school in Greenpoint. When an opportunity to open a unique school for teenagers in Bedford –Stuyvesant, he became one of the founding faculty of the New Catholic HS in Bedford for teens many of whom became the first HS graduates in their families and who went on to become lawyers, producers, teachers among other life paths.

When the school sadly closed due to funding, he became an assistant director of the Bulova School of watchmaking where people whose physical limitations precluded other work learned the art and skill of working with timepieces as well as excelling in wheelchair sports.

During that time he added the county of Queens to his resume when he met his cousin’s friend at his uncle’s funeral, married Maddie and moved into the house where they lived for 51 years and raised two awesome sons, Jon and Tim.

Joe was very involved in Incarnation Parish as lector, leader of song, organizer of parish events and developer of both a CYO track team and tri-parish swim team with OL Lourdes, Incarnation and American Martyrs. His diocesan involvement grew with becoming director of CYO swimming as well as an official. Later, he began a Learn to Swim program introducing many children to water safety, skills and fun.

As an active member was recognized in the Woodside Kiwanis club and also the American Cancer Society, Queens Division he was recognized and awarded for his work.

Teaching never really left his blood, and he returned to teach 7th grade in the parish school, and when that ended, he entered a personal heaven when he became head of the magazine section of Barnes and Noble bookstore in Carle Place. One of his passions was reading and he could tell you—and would—everything he saw in print passing by him every day.

But most people know Joe as a lover of people, as a longterm friend to many. He was an incredible and involved Dad, so proud of the men they became one as physician and the second as Chief in the FDNY and enjoyed the daughters he never had in the wonderful and loving women who chose to be their wives. In the past 14 years, five grandsons molded him into a doting and cuddling Grandpa who was a wealth of knowledge in a plethora of areas, especially sports. Oh yes, sports …as defined by being a Mets and Giants fan. Originally a Dodgers follower, he adapted when they left NY by playing hooky from school to attend the very first Mets opening game and was addicted ever after. He loved to laugh, grin, and reminisce about family and his youthful summers in Waterwitch, Highlands, N.J. He liked playing cards with good friends, doing the NY Times crossword puzzle – the Sunday one--the beach, music of all kinds and above all he liked to tell stories to anyone, at any time, about anything.

The world will be a lonelier and less happy place without Joe. We were all so blessed to have him in our lives for this long and we will always love him.

A visitation will be held at R. Stutzmann & Son, located at 224-39 Jamaica Ave, Queens Village, NY 11428, on August 12, 2025, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and again from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The funeral mass is scheduled for August 13, 2025, at Incarnation Roman Catholic Church, 89-43 Francis Lewis Blvd, Queens Village, NY 11427, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.

Burial will follow at St. Charles / Resurrection Cemeteries, 2015 Wellwood Ave, Farmingdale, NY 11735, from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society at https://donate.cancer.org/.