Daniel Hoge

Daniel J. Hoge Daniel John Hoge (Hoge is pronounced with a long "O" and a hard "G") was born in Rockford Illinois on July 23, 1954. He died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack on November 23,2014. Dan enjoyed his Rockford boyhood and had lots of friends. They played baseball and other sports. When he was a junior in high school his family moved to Elmhurst, Illinois where Dan attended York High School. A handsome man with blond hair, hazel eyes and a great smile, woman always noticed Dan. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Before his graduation Dan was hired by Square D Company. University of Illinois engineers were in great demand. Dan married Barbara Brunner, a woman he met at Square D. They were crazy, fun kids together during their dating and early married life. Dan and Barb quickly settled down when they had two children, Brandon and Heather. The family enjoyed camping trips, cross country skiing and swimming in their backyard pool. Dan's sister Sheila had four children, Sarah, Eric, Jessie and Adam. The cousins enjoyed many family events especially swimming in the Hoge's pool. The family was close and these were happy days. Dan was an accomplished woodworker and carpenter. He used his skills to make furniture, a deck, and to maintain the beautiful homes he and Barb created for their family. One of Dan's favorite projects was a Halloween decoration they placed on the front porch. Dan built an oversized coffin and painted it black. Then he mechanized the lid to open, revealing a man rising up as if to escape from his coffin. Lights would flash as the coffin opened. Then the corpse's eyes would turn red and bug out. The lid would close and the cycle would start again. Dan's creation was a hit with his kids and the neighborhood. Many years later people in Thiensville would say, "Do you live in the house that had the coffin on the front porch?" This creation was an example of Dan's slightly macabre and bawdy sense of humor. Dan loved to laugh and surprise people. In 1999, after 16 years of marriage, Dan and Barb decided it was time to go their separate ways. After the divorce, Heather and Brandon lived in the family home with their Dad. Though sad about the divorce the three of them enjoyed their time in the 1924 bungalow in Thiensville Wisconsin. Dan made sure there were always yummy snacks for his teenaged kids and their friends. He was a warm and encouraging parent and made the home a welcoming place. At the time of Dan's death, he had been sober for 12 years. His sobriety birthday, September 19, 2004 reminded him of his accomplishment each year. For many years Dan struggled unsuccessfully to quit drinking. Before becoming sober Dan had 4 DUI's and spent nearly a year in jail. Luckily he never hurt anyone while driving drunk. When Dan finally became sober for good with the help of a 12 step program, he was extremely grateful. Dan often spoke about his experience to people struggling with addictions. He was an effective speaker with a quiet, calm and intelligent delivery. Dan owned his past behavior and told others, "If I can quit drinking so can you." Because of his past, his 12 Step friends called him "DUI Dan." Dan was passionate about passing on the gift of sobriety and founded an organization called "Drunks Against Drunk Driving" also known as DADD. As the founder of DADD, Dan spoke at a conference for Texas police officers, educating them about the realities of drunk driving. His speech was well received. Several attendees came up to him after his talk and thanked Dan with tears in their eyes. Dan was also interviewed on a radio show and asked, "Why should someone like you with 4 DUI's get another chance? Why shouldn't we just lock you up and throw away the key?" Dan's philosophy: "Maybe you should lock me up. I don't know what you should do. What I do know is that I am very grateful I was given a chance to recover and become a contributing member of society." Dan's DADD message – "The only way an alcoholic like me can avoid driving drunk is to stop drinking entirely." Dan's eyes lit up when he talked about his recovery story. Spreading the word meant so much to him. Another passion was helping the small businessperson. After serving his jail time Dan needed a new job. His wife Barb encouraged him to open his own software company and even introduced him to his first client, Robert Linterer. Barb knew Robert from her bookkeeping business. Robert and Dan became very close friends. Dan always appreciated the way Robert gave him his start. Dan was self-taught in the computer arts until he reached the impressive level of developer. Developers write their own code and create custom software. Dan could write a program to help his clients do anything they wanted. His business goal was to make big business technology available for small business. Dan named his company "Hoge Software Solutions." Among other things he designed e-commerce sites, websites, estimating grids, inventory trackers and job applications. He also did search engine optimization. Dan's ability to sit behind a computer and write code for hours on end was testament to his razor sharp intellect and steely determination. Cindy Bird, a graphics designer and computer whiz herself, often collaborated with Dan. Dan enjoyed working with Cindy. She spoke his language. They helped each other build their businesses. However, Dan's greatest accomplishment was always his children. He adored his kids and was a devoted and loving father. Dan would do everything within his power to help his kids. Before his death Dan was thrilled to see his kids doing so well. Dan was very proud of the kind, intelligent and hard-working adults they became. Brandon and Dan enjoyed their time together. Dan was so proud of his son who looks and talks so much like his father. Brandon is quiet and intelligent like Dan. He's also kind to the core and very humble. Dan had a way of making people feel comfortable wherever he was. There was something safe and non-judgmental about him. One of Dan's goals in life was to be humble. Brandon is like his father both in terms of kindness and humility. Heather, Dan's daughter, is also a very kind person. The entire Hoge family does all they can to help others. You might say that kindness is their superpower. Dan and Heather loved going to movies together. They enjoyed the same action type shows. Heather has a wonderfully irreverent, clever sense of humor. When she was with Dan he often laughed loudly, hitting his knee with his hand. She and Dan completed a 109-mile bike trip on the George Mickelson Trail in the Black Hill of South Dakota 2 months before he passed. After her father's death, on February 8, 2016, Heather gave birth to Dan's grandson, Lennon Daniel Hartung. Dan would have so loved this precious little guy. He looks a lot like his handsome grandfather. Dan was thrilled to meet Heather's husband, Cory Hartung. He was pleased Heather chose such a good man with whom to share her life and start a family. Dan's mother, Gloria, had a special relationship with her son. They were more than mother and son; they were also good friends. Gloria helped care for Dan's children and home after the divorce. She lived only a couple of blocks away and stopped over daily to walk the dog, Samantha. Gloria came by to drop off meals, clean house and do laundry. At the time Dan was working at Miller Brewing. Gloria took Heather shopping for clothes and was there for the kids when Dan was working long hours. Gloria taught her son humility and gentle acceptance. Henry Hoge, (Hank) Dan's father, was a dedicated husband and father. He was very successful in his business, "Hoge and Associates," which sold industrial furnaces and ovens. Henry was a great provider and gave his family a very comfortable lifestyle. He looked for the best in everyone and was the most optimistic person you could ever meet. Extremely kind and generous, one of his favorite sayings was, "It's perfect and you can't beat perfect!" Henry often said that he was happy he joined the navy because that's how he met Gloria. When Hank developed Alzheimer's in his later years, his optimism didn't flag. Gloria cared lovingly for her husband at home up to the time of his death. Dan lived just around the corner from his parents and often stopped by to help his mother care for his father. After Henry died Gloria moved in with Dan. She took care of the house while Dan built his business. Dan appreciated his mother's help and company. He felt very lucky to have a mother like her. In turn, Dan was a good son and helped his mother in every way he could. They confided in each other and helped each other with the sorrows each had to bear. Gloria faces her life challenges with grace and determination. Dan gets his kindness and desire to be of service from her. Dan had an older sister, a lovely woman named Sheila who was very kind and giving like the rest of her family. Sheila was an artist who painted lovely oil landscapes and sewed beautifully. She and her mother made many crafts together. Their creations were sold in Sheila's little cottage industry. Sheila died on April 26, 2001 after a devastating car accident that left her with permanent neurological problems. Her four wonderful children, Sarah, Eric, Jessie and Adam are a credit to their mother. Dan loved his nieces and nephews. Gloria and Dan threw family picnics in the summer so the family could be together. Jessie has two beautiful children, Kassandra and Adrian. They loved their Uncle Dan – and he loved them. Dan's younger brother, Jeff, was the opposite of Dan in many ways. Jeff is creative and dramatic, and works in the acting field. Dan admired Jeff's abilities and often commented that he could never be an actor. Jeff presents programs in science and literature to school assemblies. He had a movie role as the bartender in "The Godfather of Green Bay." Jeff also acted in commercials, one an underwear ad with Michael Jordan. Dan contributed his woodworking and engineering skills to help Jeff with his school assembly presentations. The two brothers collaborated often. Dan enjoyed building props for Jeff's business – things that move and surprise. You could hear them in Dan's work shop or at the kitchen table laughing together as they hatched up their latest plan. Dan also helped Jeff with his website. Their brotherhood was a great comfort and pleasure for both of them. Gloria, Dan and Jeff grew even tighter and closer after the deaths of Henry and Sheila. In 2009, after a 30-year separation, Dan reconnected with his college sweetheart, Karin Flodstrom. They had a giddy, exciting late life romance. At the time of his death, 5 years after their reunion, Dan and Karin were engaged and living in Dan's home. They were grateful for every moment they had together. Dan had many other dear friends of the heart – Al Del Aringa, Ray and Loreen Marcy, Robert Linterer, Matt Kuehn, Elizabeth Kuchan Elgin, Todd Kailas, Jonathon Lewis, Mimi Laskin, Dave, Mark Jeske, Sue, and Gerry Hazlett to name just a few. Aside from the pleasure of his friendships Dan enjoyed using his lathe and other wood working tools. He made jewelry boxes, God boxes, 12 step coin trays and bowls. The wood floors and windows in his home were hand stripped and refinished by Dan. Dan also built a new kitchen and bathroom including cabinetry, countertops and appliances. In addition, almost every day Dan cycled miles on the path a short distance from his home. He loved cycling. He was also crazy about the Packers and would often shout at the TV while watching the games. Jeff liked the Packers too. The two brothers would talk on the phone, Dan in Thiensville and Jeff in Chicago, as they watched the Pack together. After Dan's death, many people contacted the family to tell stories of how Dan had helped them in lasting and unforgettable ways. He touched so many lives with his kindness, acceptance, and intelligent advice. People reported feeling safe with him. He was a port in the storm for many going through troubled times. One friend reported how he used to drive by Dan's house at night when he was upset or scared. Knowing his friend Dan was inside gave him comfort. Dan was such a fine man – deeply kind, thoughtful, humble, down to earth and quick to laugh. He did his best to live a moral life of integrity committed to serving others. Though Dan is sorely missed the love he shared with so many continues to inspire and comfort. A man of sincere effort, Dan's example encourages all who knew him. He reminds us to be our best. Dan is dearly loved and always remembered. A quote that describes Dan's philosophy and the way he lived his life is this one by Etienne de Grellet: "I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." With Love, Karin Flodstrom