John Frederick Hoge

John Frederick Hoge (1921 - 2015) Quietly at home, on Monday, July 20, 2015. Born on July 26, 1921, in Shaler Township, he was nearly 94 years old. He had resided in McCandless Township since 1955. Beloved husband of 65 years to the late Betty Lois (Will) Hoge, they were married on February 14, 1948. Loving father of John Robert (Cindy Lorz) Hoge, of Hamilton, NJ, Donald Allen (Sharon Walter) Hoge of Gibsonia, and the late Gail Suzanne Hoge, who died in infancy. He was adored by his grandchildren, Donald Allen, Jr., John Stephen, Kimberly Marie, and David William Hoge. He was the son of John and Clara (Kretzer) Hoge, and brother of the late Ruth Moeller (Edwin), Clara Holtgraver (Ed), Dorothy Roble (Jim), Grace O'Hara (Bob),Lois Gmuer (Rege), Kenneth W. (Jean), and Mildred Rensi (Ernie). He is survived by his sister, Ann Marie Holtzapfel (George), and many nieces and nephews. John was a 1942 graduate of Perry High School and Conley Vo-Tech. Working in the war industry as a welder for Pittsburgh Annealing Box, his induction into the Army was deferred until May, 1943. He did his basic training at Camp Shelby, MS. He entered Normandy shortly after D-Day, and was assigned to an anti-tank unit with the 28th Division. He saw action in the Hedgerows, the Vosges Mountains, the Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. He marched in the Liberation of Paris and the Liberation of Colmar. He did occupation duty along the Rhine River, where he rose to the rank of SSgt. In 1959, he and his brother, Ken, started Hoge Bros., Inc., Auto Repair, which he operated until his retirement in 1991. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, bird watching, playing cards and summer holidays at the Hoge farm outside of Butler. He especially enjoyed time with his grandchildren, either building sand castles at Topsail Island, NC, or building tree houses in the back yard. He was a lifelong Christian, raised at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, Perrysville Ave., and a 60-year member of St. John's Lutheran Church of Highland. Friends received Wednesday, July 22nd from 2 - 4 and 7 - 9 pm at Simons Funeral Home, Inc., 7720 Perry Highway. Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, 11:00 am, at St. John's Lutheran Church of Highland, 311 Cumberland Road . Contributions may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church of Highland. www.simonsfuneralhome.com

John Frederick Hoge

July 26, 1921 - July 20, 2015