Sharon Hogan, age 80, of Miles City

In the early morning hours of Saturday, December 7, our family and community unexpectedly lost our beloved mother, grandmother, wife, support and best friend Sharon Lynn Hogan who went to join her parents, brother, and sister in company of the Lord our God in heaven.

Sharon passed away peacefully and quietly at her Miles City home in the loving arms of the very family for whom she loved and worked so selflessly and tirelessly every single day. The legacy that she left in both our family and community was vast and wide-ranging. Though it was seen in the hours spent volunteering in schools and libraries, her faithful devotion to her church, and the beauty of the music that would come from her piano; her greatest legacy was the one that she left behind in the form of her family of a husband, 8 children and 14 grandchildren that she gave of herself so faithfully every day.

Though her driver’s license claimed her age was technically 80 years old, according to her, her family, and just about anyone who would listen Sharon’s age was a perpetual 39 years young.

Sharon was born in 1939 in Wisconsin, the daughter of Roy and Wilmae Juergens. When she was 2 years old, Sharon and her parents moved to Miles City when her father took a job as a printer at the Miles City Star. Her mother became a schoolteacher and later in life worked as a secretary at Custer County District High School of which Sharon graduated from in 1957. Sharon grew up as the oldest sister of 3 siblings and in that role started learning early the values of devotion to family and, assisted by her mother who was the school secretary, the value of being prompt, organized, and on time.

After her graduation from high school in 1957, Sharon soon found herself behind the wheel of a flashy new ‘57 Mercury convertible and bearing the job title of bank secretary in the local First National Bank in Miles City. In 1960, she enrolled herself in the TWA flight stewardess school in Kansas City and made plans to start a new adventure.

However, sometimes life has a way of altering those new adventures. One bright sunny day in 1960 the front door of the bank burst open and in strode a dapper, purposeful young dentist from the United States Air Force. After tending to a little non-essential bank business, he asked the bank president who the beautiful lady at the front desk was and if she was available for dinner that night. Long story short, Sharon accepted this dinner invitation and in 1961 she married this handsome young dentist- Richard L. Hogan- and continued for the next 58 years of marriage to build a life-long adventure with him of love, laughter, happiness, some tears, music, children, flowers, cows, books, a sewing machine and an occasional trip to the Dairy Queen for a cold, cool chocolate malt on that hot summer day.

Sharon and Richard settled on a farm on the outskirts of Miles City and it was there they jointly embarked upon the fulfilling and rewarding journey of ranch life, 8 kids, 5 wood-paneled Ford station wagons, a collection of cows, tractors, several dogs named Sadie, large boisterous family feasts, homemade ice cream, manure spreaders, wooden spoons, double-bagged garbage, flowers, apple trees, and holidays filled with love, laughter, Mexican Dominos, and plate after plate after plate of Sharon’s spectacular cookies.

Sharon loved many things in life. Music from her piano was one of her favorite escapes. She tried valiantly to impress upon her stubborn children the value of piano lessons but in the end, it was from her own fingertips that beautiful music flowed to the ears and appreciation of anyone within earshot.

Sharon loved flowers. When asked once of what her favorite flower was, her answer was simply “I don’t have a favorite, I like them all”- although considering her love for plaid, if there was such a thing as a plaid tulip that may have been a strong contender for the top spot. Sharon could frequently be found tending to her flower beds in her beautiful yard. She always went armed with her wooden spoon to go after that occasional dog caught stretching out for a nap in the middle of her tulips.

Holidays and birthdays were magical in the Hogan household. Sharon went to great lengths to make this happen through her special dinners, presents, laughter, and love. Trips to her house meant handfuls of cookies and homemade cinnamon rolls. One of her last efforts was the making of a very extensive list of Christmas presents for her grandkids. She maintained weekly a well-stocked storeroom that was full of everything from applesauce to comic books and through this was able to bring a smile to even the grumpiest child.

Sharon was an avid seamstress and sewer- her sewing machine was never idle. Shopping with mom as youngsters meant many an hour of trying to entertain themselves in a cloth store while she picked through the latest stock of cloth. Quilting was a passion that followed her through life and to her final moments. Her last quilt before she passed on was one for her new grandbaby that she was excited to get to meet.

Sharon was a voracious reader. Worn bookmark in hand, she could be regularly found with her nose buried in the pages of whatever book she had handy. Her interests were wide- her imagination was far-reaching. She had no interest in electronic books; she had to have her hands around the paper pages of a book.

Her dedication to her community was un-paralleled. Weekly schedules included volunteer shifts at the local public library, multiple school libraries and tutoring the occasional youngster at Kircher School with their own schoolwork.

Devotion to her church- the First United Methodist Church- was first on her list. Sharon made sure that all of her kids grew up in the church and learned first-hand their connection with the Lord. She taught Sunday School for years, and sang in the choir.

Grandma Sharon loved her grandkids- there was many an hour spent watching everything from hockey games to soccer to basketball. If she couldn’t be found on the sidelines of the soccer field with her grandkids, she was working with them on crafts and hobbies in the basement of her house.

Sharon was never still. She had a schedule to keep- Mondays were wash day, Tuesday ironing day, Wednesday was vacuuming and cleaning day and so forth. But as busy and ambitious as she was, she always had the time to stop and listen when a person needed to talk, help someone if they needed help, cook for someone who needed a meal, and just generally do what she could to make the lives for anyone who was lucky enough to know her better and full-filled.   We love her and greatly miss her.

Sharon was preceded in death in her immediate family by her parents Roy and Wilmae Juergens, her sister Sandy, and her brother Bill. She is survived by her sister Cathy Freeman, her husband Richard; her children Terri, Richard Jr. (Carolyn), Daniel, John, Paul (Kelly), Laurie (Vince), Eric (Robin), Christopher (Docia), 14 grandchildren, and other extended family members too numerous to mention.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either the First United Methodist Church of Miles City, Eastern Montana Industries of Miles City, Sacred Heart School, a library of choice, or a worthy charitable cause of choice. Monetary donations made will be divided at the family’s discretion amongst these four things.

A memorial service for friends and family will be at the United Methodist Church on Friday, December 13 at 10:30 AM. Visitation is 1:00 to 6:00 pm on Thursday, December 12, 2019 at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home, with family receiving friends from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

Service Schedule

Visitation

1:00 p.m.. to 6:00 p.m.

Thursday December 12, 2019

Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home

1717 Main Street

Miles City, MT

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Family to Receive Friends

4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Thursday December 12, 2019

Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home

1717 Main Street

Miles City, MT

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Memorial Service

10:30 a.m.

Friday December 13, 2019

First United Methodist Church

24 N. 11th Street

Miles City, MT

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