Posted by Terry Powers on November 20, 2022:

Wogan, John B., Jr. 1926 ~ 2012 John B. "Jack" Wogan Jr. died peacefully and surrounded by his wife and children on May 12, 2012 in Asheville, N.C. He was born in Boston, Mass., on June 29, 1926 to Major General John B. Wogan of New Orleans and Grace McLain of Asheville. Raised as an "Army Brat," he attended several high schools, graduating from the Drew School in San Francisco in May 1944. He was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated as a member of the class of 1949. Entering the U.S. Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant, he was first assigned to Pilot Training of Randolph Air Force Base (AFB), Texas. On December 30, 1949, he married Katrina Himes of Frederick, Md., and Washington, DC. Upon graduation from pilot training, he was assigned to the 314th Troop Carrier Group at Stewart AFB, Tenn., and the group was immediately dispatched to the Korean Conflict, finally stationed at the Ashiya AFB in Kyushu, Japan, flying C-119s in support of the troops. Returning to the U.S. in February 1952, he was assigned to the 1007th Air Intelligence in Washington, DC. He returned to Tokyo, Japan with his family in July 1953 as a member of the Composite Analysis Group. After a brief stint in Washington, he was assigned to a newly created U.S. Air Force Academy, then in Denver, later in Colorado Springs. In 1960, he resigned from the Air Force as a major, moved to Denver, and took up land development in southern Colorado. While his interest in land development continued, his general interest in business and politics widened; he became an early franchisee for Pizza Hut and the secretary of the Republican Party for Denver. Katrina died suddenly on March 31, 1966, leaving him with the most important result of his life, his seven children: Michael, John, Eilleen, Hilary, Christopher, Katrina Whitney and Lisa. In 1970, he became the Chairman of the Denver County Republican Party and was appointed to fill the remaining term of state senator, Will F. Nicholson, who had resigned. On August 10, 1972, he married Jacqueline Thaxter Greene of Aspen, Colo., and became stepfather to Judy, Jennifer, Susan and Wendy. Gradually over the next 15 years, he completed a number of land development projects in Colorado, Arizona and Chicago. He divorced and retired in Denver in 1986. In 2000, he moved to Asheville to be with his only sibling, his sister Patsy, who died of cancer later that same year. Having developed emphysema, he was unable to return to Denver, so he remained in Asheville with his longtime companion, Barbara Rennels. They were married on March 9, 2010. He is survived by his wife, her two daughters, Stephanie and Monika, and grand-daughters, Britiny and Lucy; seven children; ten grandchildren, Katrina, Alexis, John, Tyson, Christopher, Dominique, Dakoda, Olivia, Hailey and Zander; and great-granddaughter, Jane. Published by Denver Post on May 18, 2012.

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