Marjorie Smith Hogeman

On February 29, Marjorie Smith Hogeman (Marj) went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Born on September 9, 1933, Marj succumbed to colon cancer after a lengthy and determined battle. She passed surrounded by loved ones, including her husband of 70 years, Hubert H. Hogeman, Jr. (Hu), children, grandchildren and her pastor.

Marj was born in Golden, Colorado and lived most of her early years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she met Hu, her lifetime love. Married on December 29, 1953, Marj and Hu moved to New York City, where Hu worked for the National Biscuit Company while Marj worked as a bank teller. In New York City, their oldest daughter was born. After taking a job with Olin Mathieson,  Hu, Marj and Debbie moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana, before Hu took a promotion and transfer to McIntosh, Alabama. In McIntosh, Marj and Hu were blessed with two more daughters and a son. There she met and befriended her lifelong friend, Florence Reams. The family moved north for Hu’s job with Olin. After 13 years in the Northeast, the family moved to Cleveland, Tennessee. 

While the children went off to college and their separate lives, Marj and Hu remained in Cleveland for forty-five years, before moving to Sylva, North Carolina where they lived next door to their youngest daughter, Paula Thweatt. 

Two intertwining principles guided Marj’s life. First, she had an unshakeable faith in God and her personal savior, Jesus Christ. Second, she had an unlimited reservoir of love for her family,  reaching out and embracing each other in times of sadness and celebrating in times of joy. She thanked God daily for the gifts bestowed upon her and her extended family. 

Marj was a lifelong lover of music. She followed that passion, as a music major at Louisiana State University. Marj rejoiced in participation through her lifelong dedication to both school and her church choirs. As much as she enjoyed singing in her rich alto voice, Marj felt that teaching piano to young, budding music lovers was her true calling. For more than forty years she fostered the joy of music - not so that her students would be concert pianists, but to expose young students to the discipline and beauty of music. Years after moving on with their adult lives, Marj’s former students kept in touch with her, thanking her for her role in their lives.

Marj and Hu shared in their determination to instill in their children a strong sense of faith and family. As youngsters, Marj would hold mini family devotionals where the young ones were taught scripture, with a special emphasis on memorizing and quoting many of the Psalms, including her favorite, the 23rd. “The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not want.” Always patient, ever kind, Marj was determined to instill in and open her children’s eyes to the wonders of man and nature. More immediately, she was a constant with her presence at the innumerable sports, music, church and drama activities, rooting and cheering on her precious children, even if not always fully understanding the rules - who really understands the offsides rule in soccer? She taught her children that the first step in parenting is to show up, to constantly reinforce your love and support for your own children.  Both Marj and Hu were committed to the life and mission of Broad Street United Methodist Church in Cleveland. Faithful participants in and supporters of the Broad Street music program,

Marj lent her gorgeous alto voice to the choir. When asked, she would enthrall the congregation and speak to her Lord and Savior through hymns of praise. Anyone who heard her version of “I Wonder as I Wander” was changed forever. Through her many contacts and friendships in Cleveland, and later Sylva, Marj was honored to be asked to become a member of PEO, a women’s philanthropic and educational organization. Participating in identifying young deserving women for PEO scholarships, attending periodic formal meetings and lending support and love to her sisters in their time of need all filled Marj’s heart with the joy of giving back. She loved and treasured her PEO sisters and spoke fondly of them up through her last moments.

Up until the very end Marj enjoyed nothing more than playing card games with Hu, her children and her grandchildren. A fiercely competitive master-points-level bridge player, Marj had a “take no prisoners” approach. Consistent with her general approach to life, Marj was both a gracious winner and a gracious loser. As she might say - you learn more about a person by the way they handle failure than the way they handle success.

Marj is survived by her husband, Hu, their four children - Debbie (Scott Sutter), Bert (Lori Hogeman), Charlotte (James Anderson) and Paula (Kenyon Thweatt), eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Marj has been re-united with her beloved brother, Dick Smith, of Denham Springs, Louisiana.

On Tuesday, March 12, there will be a visitation hour at 12:00PM, at Broad Street United Methodist Church in Cleveland, TN. Following the visitation there will be a Memorial Service at 1:00.  Marj’s ashes will then be inurned in the columbarium. A Memorial Service was held at Sylva United Methodist Church on Sunday, March 3.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to either Sylva United Methodist Church or Broad Street United Methodist Church.