Mark Hogan finished his earthly race and went Home to the Lord on September 26, 2026, in Moody, Texas, at the age of 68. Mark was born on February 13, 1958, in Bellflower, CA, to Norm and Lil Hogan. Mark grew up the middle of seven boys to parents who raised them to love the Lord. He knew, loved, and served the Lord from a young age and throughout his life. In the final year before his passing, he looked forward to his eternal Home more and more each day.

After graduating from high school, Mark worked a variety of jobs, eventually moving to Ripon, CA where he met and married the love of his life, Grace in 1983. They welcomed a daughter and son into their family in the next 7 years. Mark loved his family and was a devoted husband and father. He and Grace created countless memories on road trips, camping trips, and around the house in everyday life with their kids. They built a home where the Lord and laughter were central.

In Ripon, Mark discovered one of the other loves of his life: fire/rescue. Mark started his fire career as a volunteer for Ripon Fire in February 1986 and was hired full-time October 1988 until 1999. In Ripon, Mark was their first formally designated Training Officer. During the early 1990’s, he was a driving force in their department, spending hours of his own time training volunteer and reserve firefighters and went on to teach hundreds if not thousands of firefighters throughout the area.

Mark helped establish Ripon’s Special Operations Response Team (SORT). He provided training for the water rescue team and supported its deployment. As a Rescue 3 instructor, he helped bring water rescue training to Ripon and many other departments.

Mark joined Fremont Fire on April 26, 1999, and retired on September 5th, 2021. He was, to so many, a mentor, teacher, friend, and brother. He was known for his wide-ranging expertise and passion for the fire service, perhaps best demonstrated by his work creating a fully operational fabrication shop at Station 7. There, he proudly shared his knowledge, training the next generation of Fremont Firefighters to be able to customize our apparatus, just like he did for years. Mark’s knowledge, generosity, personality, and faith touched people throughout the department and beyond.

Mark had a gift of tinkering, repairing, and creating from a young age that became part of who he was. From repairing an electric clock when he was 4 to fully restoring his beloved VW convertible super beetle just months before his passing, Mark was always working on one project or another. His talents earned him the nickname “Gadget” during his career in the fire service.

Mark’s work ethic and love for helping others was unmatched. His knowledge, training, inventions, and legacy have had an effect on countless individuals. And those individuals carry on his instruction every time they go out. But most importantly, Mark wanted to make an impact on individuals for eternity. His hope and prayer was for the salvation of his friends and family.

Through his years in the fire service. Mark received multiple commendations and accolades throughout his tenure for his consistent enthusiasm, incomparable drive, and bravery. Mark received the department’s first “Firefighter’s Cross” Meritorious Award in 2001 for bravery during a successful rescue operation of an electrical worker who had been electrocuted on a hydraulic lift. As Fremont Fire said when he retired "Mark brought exceptional job knowledge, professionalism, enthusiasm, a servant’s attitude, and a tireless work ethic to the FFD."

After retiring and moving to Texas with Grace, Mark decided to keep serving and joined the Lorena Fire Department, where he shared his skills, abilities, knowledge, and everything else he had to give. As Lorena fire said, "Mark understood that being a firefighter was never about the patch on your shoulder or the name painted on the side of an engine. It was about service. It was about leaving things better than you found them. It was about teaching the next generation so they could carry the fire service forward."

Mark passed due to job related pancreatic cancer. Mark’s death has officially been recognized as a line-of-duty death. His name will be added to the Wall of Honor at the 2027 IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mark is survived by his children, Cheryse (Josiah) Skiles and Jordan (Amanda) Hogan; grandchildren, Jenae, Evan, and Moriah Skiles, and Noah Hogan; mother Lillian Hogan; brothers Joel (Patti) Hogan, Dave (Faith) Hogan, Les (Natti) Hogan, Mike (Kristin) Hogan, Jim (Kristi) Hogan, Jeff Hogan; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Betty (John) Bouwman, Fran (Ron) DeYoung, Ken (Lorri) DeVries, Mike (Barb) DeVries, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Mark was preceded in death by his wife Grace, father Norman Hogan, and In-laws John and Grace DeVries.

A celebration of Mark’s life and service to the fire community will be held on Saturday, November 14th, at 10am at Fellowship Bible Church in McGregor, TX, followed by a reception at the church. In honor of Mark’s wishes, contributions can be made to Lorena Fire Auxiliary, in lieu of floral arrangements.

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