Dr. William L. Hogan was born on March 31, 1934 in Little Rock, Arkansas and died peacefully on November 25, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Hogan served on the faculty of RTS Jackson as Professor of Preaching from 1990 until his retirement in 1999.
Dr. Hogan majored in economics at Rice University. Sensing a call to full-time Christian ministry, he then pursued formal theological education, obtaining degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary and Columbia Theological Seminary. He also earned his doctorate from Westminster Theological Seminary.
Dr. Hogan spent several decades serving the Lord in various ministry callings. After shepherding congregations in Birmingham, Alabama and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as an assistant pastor, he led the Campus Crusade—now Cru—ministry team at the University of Minnesota and later served as the Northeast regional director mentoring staff from Maine to Kentucky.
He then planted two churches in Pennsylvania, including the Church of the Savior in Wayne and Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr. The Lord also provided Dr. Hogan with opportunities to proclaim his gospel overseas in Poland, Yugoslavia, Vienna, Canne, Nairobi, and Wales. He also preached in Queen Elizabeth’s Chapel in Sandringham, England. Dr. Hogan retired at age 85 after serving as a pastor for several years at Independent Presbyterian Church in Memphis.
Dr. Hogan is survived by his loving family, including his wife Jane; their daughter Marion and her husband, David Larson; as well as his son-in-law, Ed Hartman, and his wife Emily. The Lord also blessed Dr. Hogan and his wife with six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Amy.
Dr. Hogan was much beloved and respected by his students at RTS as well as his friends and fellow pastors. A private graveside service was held on December 2, 2023, and a public memorial service is to be held on January 13, 2024 at 11 a.m. with a memorial visitation from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Independent Presbyterian Church, 4738 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis.