A Life of Exemplary Service: John W. Hoglund (1930-2020)

Karen Haje, Special Programs Coordinator

On January 2, 2020, the emergency services community lost a legend. John W. Hoglund, Director Emeritus of the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, passed away peacefully after a long illness. He joined the faculty of the Fire Service Extension Department at the University of Maryland in 1963, and served for 43 years, 22 as director. During his stellar career, he would come to be known as a visionary, leader, and tireless advocate for the advancement of training, education and safety for America’s fire service. Devoted husband to Nancy; father to Jackie, Jeanne, John and Jennifer; and grandfather to Matthew, he was a man of deep faith and strong conviction – a U.S. Marine who lived every day by those tenets.

If you’re reading this edition of the MFRI Bulletin, you have most likely already seen the career recap, which includes the bevy of organizations and committees he was involved in. You are aware of all the well-deserved accolades as he’s been eulogized, recognized, idolized, awarded, honored, revered and quoted. That’s not what this tribute is about. This is my “John Hoglund story.”

Having worked for and with him for my entire 48 year career at the University of Maryland, as you can imagine, I have a lot of John Hoglund stories in my repertoire. We all have at least one – whether he was your “Brother John,” JW, John or Mr. Hoglund. Far more poignant for me are the life lessons that I learned along the way.

From the day he interviewed me to the last time we spoke, I called him “Mr. Hoglund,” never John, and I am not alone. His persona just commanded reverence. He could walk into a room, and like the old E.F. Hutton commercial, when he spoke, people listened. He had the gift of eloquence and the attributes to effectively deliver it – strong vocals and beautiful penmanship. I learned to write, not from college English and journalism, but from John Hoglund. There are phrases and words that will forever be “Hoglundisms,” and “in that light” they still slip back into my work from time to time.

In many aspects, he was like a stern father figure to me - even though my name did not start with a J - and he instilled in me a strong work ethic that I still adhere to and have passed along to my son. Early on he and “Miss Mabel” Weitzell taught me several things that kept me out of trouble in the early years – that perfect is not good enough; if you’re on time, you’re late; and between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., the University’s clock had no room for goofing off on it. He wore a suit and tie every day. EVERY DAY. He said, “It’s a lot easier to wear a coat and tie and keep work clothes in your locker than it is to wear work clothes and keep a complete set of business attire in your locker. You never know when the President’s Office will call!”

He had the remarkable ability to make you feel special. He remembered EVERYTHING. Good, bad or just plain trivial, it was important to him. What was even more significant is that he remembered something about everyone he ever met. It was surreal, and that memory ran deep. He also had the magical ability to be everywhere. If there were a meeting in Western Maryland, a banquet in La Plata, and a memorial service in Princess Anne on the same weekend, he would find a way to be front and center at all of them, with his brown folder full of handouts and taking “copious notes.” And he would still make it to BWI to catch a plane to NFPA, FDIC or IFSTA. Later when his health began to decline, his loyal team of chauffeurs, which often included his “bride” Nancy, would drive his “chariot“ to the appointed location. We knew he was still in reasonably good health when someone reported a “John Hoglund sighting.”

Leave it to John to outlive most of his colleagues. The turnout to his memorial was very impressive, but was more of a reflection of his influence – the next generation of fire service leaders he mentored or who in some way were inspired to carry on his legacy. God’s speed, Mr. H – we’ll take it from here.

A LIFE OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE: JOHN W. HOGLUND (1930-2020)