Driving a white Corvette made it easy to spot Isabel Hogan as she buzzed around town during her 16 years as Kent mayor in the 1970s and ’80s.
“City staff were just a bit more attentive and stood a little taller when they saw the car coming,” said daughter-in-law Lori Hogan. “The Corvette was lovingly referred to as the Mayor Mobile.”
Judy Hogan, Isabel’s youngest daughter, still proudly drives the Corvette in Arizona. Isabel was the first female mayor in the city and served from 1970 to 1986.
Family and friends continue to share many memories about Isabel, who died at the age of 94 on March 9 in Kent. Services were private.
Flags at all city facilities were lowered to half-staff on Wednesday in memory of Isabel, also known as “Mother Mayor” by her co-workers at City Hall.
“Isabel was my mayor when I began working for Kent (as the Senior Center director) in 1975,” said Suzette Cooke, who is in her third term as mayor, in a letter Tuesday to city employees. “To say the least, I admired how she conducted the city’s business. No matter how strong-willed she came across, she also let her kindness and humor show through to employees. And I thought she was really cool – she drove a white Corvette and always wore a proper hat.”
Appointed to the City Council in 1969 to fill a vacancy after the resignation of M.L. (Duffy) Armstrong, Isabel ran for and was elected mayor later that year.
Isabel attended the re-naming ceremony of the city’s Russell Road Sports Complex to Hogan Park at Russell Road in October. City officials renamed the park to honor her service and passion for parks, recreation and the arts.
“I’m overwhelmed,” Isabel told the crowd at a morning renaming celebration in the park. “I appreciate this great honor. Thank you all.”
Former councilwoman Judy Woods, who now serves as president of the Kent Parks Foundation, said at the park ceremony that Isabel represented the “gold standard” of public service.
“Her inspired leadership was visionary, strong and collaborative,” Woods said. “The ‘good’ of the community was foremost in her mind at all times, and woe be to those who didn’t share that value! She was a wonderful role model for those who followed in her ‘wake.’ It was a privilege and pleasure to serve with her. Naming a park in her honor is an appropriate recognition of her exemplary service to our community.”
Lori Hogan, who works as the city of Kent city recreation and cultural superintendent, recalled how much Isabel supported Kent-Meridian High School sports teams.
“She was a huge supporter of Kent-Meridian athletics,” Lori Hogan said. “Her words of encouragement echoed off the bleachers and down to the floor. There are probably 60-year-old men in Kent who can remember her visiting the K-M locker room at halftime to help ‘motivate and encourage’ better performance. Her support must have helped because K-M celebrated several championship years in various sports during those years.”
Isabel lived 62 years on Kent’s Scenic Hill neighborhood. She had six children with her late husband, Dr. James Hogan.
She was preceded in death by her son Dennis Hogan, her daughter Sharon Hogan and her brother Eldon “George” Baumgartner. She is survived by her son Michael Hogan, her daughter Carol (John) VanDongen, her daughter Barb (Tracy) LaFayette, her daughter Judy Hogan, her daughter in-law Lori Hogan, her grandson Jim Hogan and granddaughter Sarah Hogan.
Isabel was born in Osborne, Kansas to Lena and Arthur Baumgartner. She served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps until 1943 and graduated from Columbus (Cabrini) Hospital School of Nursing in 1947. She met and married Dr. Hogan while working as a nurse at the Renton Hospital.
Before and during her 16 years as mayor she was active in the Board of Directors of the Kent School District, Kent Park Board Commission, Metro Council, Puget Sound Council of Governments and King County Suburban Mayors Association.
She was an avid sports enthusiast and was a season ticket holder for the Seattle Sonics and Seahawks. Gardening and a love of nature and its beauty kept her very healthy and strong throughout her 94 years.
In lieu of flowers, people are asked to donate to the Dennis Hogan Memorial Fund at the Kent Parks and Recreation Department.
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