Robert Spencer Hogg

Robert Spencer Hogg

Robert Spencer Hogg, age 100, passed away at his home in January 2023 surrounded by family.  He was born on June 3, 1922 in Vancouver, WA to John Hogg and Beatrice Nutter, and was the fifth of seven children.

He graduated from the University of Washington with BS and MS degrees in Chemical Engineering.  He enlisted in the Army Air Corps at the onset of World War II while still in college.  At the age of 21 he was called to active duty and was assigned to the 315th Troop Carrier Group, piloting the Douglas C-47 Skytrain. 

After the war he worked for both the Standard Oil California Research Corporation and the Bechtel Corporation as a Chemical Process Engineer.  His specialty was oil extraction from asphalt tar sands, and this expertise eventually led him to work in Canada, Great Britain, Australia and Saudi Arabia.

It was while working for Standard Oil that he met his future wife Margaret Aja.  They wed in 1953, built a home and raised their family in the benevolent shadow of Mt. Tamalpais, and were married for 64 years until her passing in 2017.

His hobbies included color slide photography, home improvement projects, crosswords, stargazing and keeping meticulous rainfall records. He read for enjoyment and to keep informed on the latest in science, technology and archaeology.  He volunteered for Marin Open Space to remove invasive brush, and he and Margaret spent many enjoyable hours walking the dogs along Corte Madera Creek.

He is survived by his five children Susan Fong (Bob), Robert, Mary Gray (Jeff), Patricia Jordan (Mike), and John; his sister Marilyn Meissner; his five grandchildren Catherine Fong, Brian Fong, Kyle Gray (Madison), Jamie Gray (Amando), and Danny Jordan; and his great grandchildren Mallory Gray and Tennessee Gray.

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