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JOHN HOWARD HOGSETT, PE Born in Otis on the Eastern plains of Colorado April 3, 1926, John Howard Hogsett successfully completed his life July 30, 2008 in the presence of his devoted and loving wife and best friend, Mary Ellen. He passed peacefully and unexpectedly of natural causes following a history of heart disease. His immediate family and close friends joined Mary Ellen in her home to help begin her adjustment. John began his life in the dust bowl of Colorado soon joining the US Army's 303rd Combat Engineer Battalion attached to the 78th Division for actions during the World War IIM Battle of the Bulge and the invasion of the Nazi homeland. He was wounded on the field of battle while clearing land mines near Auchen, Germany. As a true conservationist, he was a professional civil engineer with the United States Bureau of Public Roads, innovating our public lands transportation infrastructure. He made it possible for millions of people to explore some of the most breathtaking and culturally significant scenery in the world. His proudest accomplishment was his locations, design, and construction engineering of Colorado's all weather Slumgullion Pass joining the communities of Lake City and Creede, CO, across the Slumgullion Slide. As the principal project field engineer he built the first all weather roads into Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, Mesa Verde, Canyonland's Needles District, Carlsbad Caverns, and Dinosaur National Parks/Monuments. He was a consulting engineer for the upgrade of the interstate system passing under Washington D.C. He was responsible for the first all weather road systems in Colorado's Grand Mesa, up the St. Vrain River from Lyons, CO, and into the Gila National forest to Reserve, NM, where he met and fell madly for Mary Ellen Jiron. In asking for her hand in marriage Mary Ellen's father, Victor Jiron replied "suffer the consequences." The consequences consisted of a son, Victor Howard Hogsett and daughter, Deborah Leigh (Gordon), two lovely grandchildren, Kelleigh Victoria and Jennie Marie Gordon, 57 years of completely devoted and nearly always happy marriage, countless friends throughout the Southwest, and a unique life resident in our nation's national parks and forests. He was the principal field engineer responsible for the first all-weather road for the Village of Totavi to Bandelier National Monument when he and Mary Ellen founded their first home, in government housing in 1951 in White Rock, NM. This continued their love for the Santa Fe area, to where they retired from field work in the mid-sixties. John was active in the Elks until he slowed. His devotion to Mary Ellen carried them through her recent complicated surgery at St. Vincent's, the infections she incurred at a nearby nursing home, and the ensuing many-month recovery in the hospital. His strength pulled her through. John is survived by Mary Ellen; their daughter Deb and son-in-law, Rusty Gordon; their son Vic and daughter-in-law Carol (Mooney) Hogsett; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Jean and Howard Motz of Grand Junction, Colorado, and Jan and Edwin "Buddy" MacNamara of Arvada, CO; grandchildren Kelleigh and Jennie Gordon; sisters-in-law: Natalia Aragon of San Diego, California, Matilda Bessire of Reserve, NM, Dora Jiron of Reserve, NM, and Ruby Esquibel of Bloomfield, NM. He is also survived by very many nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends. He survived the passing of his parents Arthur Howard and Hazel Leigh Hogsett of Grand Junction, CO; and Mary Ellen's parents, Victor T. and Emilia Jiron of Reserve, NM; his brothers-in-law, Charles Bessie, of High Rolls, NM; Fermin Aragon of San Diego, CA; and very recently Charles Esquibel of Bloomfield, NM. John's family extends a thank you to the many folks in the community that have made their recent lives together happy and comfortable and for the special devotion of Eloise and Patricio Serna, Jesse and Lois Williams, and Grace Martinez for their help in recent years. There will be a visitation Wednesday, August 6, 2008, 6 p.m. and a Rosary recited, 7 p.m. at Berardinelli Family Chapel. A Mass will be celebrated Thursday, August 7, 9:30 a.m. at St. Francis Cathedral. Serving as pallbearers are Rusty Gordon, Travis Kiehne, Paul Espino, Danny Williams, Chris Katy, and Tyrone Vallejos. Honorary Pallbearers are Patricio Serna and Jesse Williams. Arrangements are under the direction of Berardinelli Family Funeral Service 1399 Luisa Street Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505) 984-8600
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