Richard Hoge

ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin

Richard J. Hoge

1894 - 1983

1956

09 23 R. J. Hoge, Watertown banker and the city's weather reporter for the United States Department of Commerce which is headquarters for the nation's weather records, has received an emblem from the department signifying 20 years of service in behalf of assisting in assembling weather records and data. Mr. Hoge has been the city's weather observer since taking over the duties from John E. Salick who handled the reports for a short time after the death of his father, the late Charles J. Salick who had been in charge of the records here for many years. WDT

1960

03 30 A Penny and R. J. Hoge

A penny, minted in 1860, which R. J. Hoge lost 59 years ago when he was a small boy and the family lived in a house at 203 North Fourth Street, was recovered by him the other day when he visited the place, scene of wrecking operations in connection with demolishing of St. Luke's Lutheran Church for a parking lot. Mr. Hoge, of the Bank of Watertown staff, recalled that he lost the penny when it rolled along the floor and disappeared between two boards. He tried at the time to recover it with a wire but was unsuccessful. Over the years, he said, he frequently recalled that penny, especially when he passed the old house where he used to live. The other day he went into the house, after obtaining the key from the wreckers, and after digging around in the debris he was amazed to find the penny. He said he knew exactly where it had disappeared and it was still in that area. WDT

1961

09 13 R. J. Hoge, local co-operative weather reporter for the Wisconsin State Weather Bureau, is one of the better of the state co-operative reporters, the Watertown Rotary Club was told on Monday by Marvin W. Burley of the weather bureau at Madison. Mr. Burley is the bureau’s state climatologist. Burley presented Hoge with a 25 year service pin during the meeting, held at the Legion Green Bowl. He told of the complete and accurate reports turned in by Hoge, and in presenting the pin told him that “your record richly merits this achievement.” Hoge took over the post held here for a great many years by the late Charles Salick. He took over the local climatological station here on July 29, 1936. The station was established on Feb. 1, 1892, with Mr. Salick the first observer. He held the position until his death on July 14, 1936. WDT

1983 Richard J. Hoge Dies on Tuesday

Richard J. Hoge, 89, a banker in Watertown for 67 years, and also the city's weather observer for nearly one-half century, died Tuesday evening at Marquardt Memorial Manor. Hoge lived at 605 Lafayette Street, but had made his home at Marquardt for the past year.

Funeral services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church with Rev. O. G. Espeland officiating. Burial will be in Lutheran Cemetery.

Friends may call to pay their respects at the Pederson Funeral Home Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Friday until noon. The body will lie in state at the church from 1 p.m. until the time of services.

Hoge was born July 17, 1894 in Watertown, son of the late Albert and Evaline Hoge. He married the former Isabel Moldenhauer on Oct. 26, 1926. She preceded him in death in September of 1970.

Survivors include three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Florence Fingel, Mrs. Elda Raue and Frieda Moldenhauer, all of Watertown, and other friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and one sister.

Hoge started his banking career in 1912 as a clerk at the Farmers and Citizens Bank. In 1956, when the assets of the bank were purchased by the Bank of Watertown, now known as the M & I Bank of Watertown, Hoge continued at the new bank until his retirement from his position of assistant vice president in 1965.

Several months later he left retirement to work as an assistant vice president at the Merchants National Bank. He continued with the Merchants Bank for 14 years, retiring in 1979. His 67 years in the banking industry ranks among the highest in Wisconsin.

Hoge had also served as weather observer for the city starting back in 1936 when he succeeded the late John Salick. He continued in that work until the end of 1980 when ill health forced him to leave that post. Twice he had been named recipient of the John Campanius Holm Award in honor of his work for the National Weather Service. In 1978 he received the Thomas Jefferson Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the highest honor given to volunteer observers. He is the only person from Wisconsin ever to receive the award.

Hoge had also been active in community, government and church affairs. He was an alderman from the old eighth ward, secretary of the board of water commissioners for 20 years and . was vice chairman and treasurer of the Jefferson County Chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. For many years he was also chairman of the Watertown March of Dimes drive and was an active member of the county group. He was a past president of the Jefferson County Bankers Association.

He was a life member and treasurer for over 30 years of the Watertown Elks Lodge, life member of the Watertown Turners, director Emeritus of the Watertown Historical Society and had been chairman of its building and grounds committee for a number of years.

He also had been active in the Watertown Community Concert Association and was active at Immanuel Lutheran Church. He was chairman of the building committee when Immanuel's building was constructed.