1947 - 2018
MIDDLEFIELD - Richard Gerald Hoag, Sr. a lifelong area resident and owner of Valleyview Greenhouse, passed away Sunday morning, August 5, 2018, surrounded by his family at his home in the Town of Middlefield. He was 70.
Born September 10, 1947, at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, he was one of six sons of the late Lafayette C. and Gertrude M. (Eggleston) Hoag.
Raised in Cooperstown, Dick was a member of the Class of 1967 at Cooperstown Central School.
In 1968, he enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served his country during the Vietnam War. He received his Honorable Discharge from the US Army January 1, 1974.
Following his military service, Dick was employed for 9 ½ years as a painter with the Leatherstocking Corporation in Cooperstown. He then followed his true passion and opened Valleyview Greenhouse in Middlefield in 1975. He owned and operated this business for 45 years, providing many satisfied customers with flowers and landscaping services.
An avid outdoorsman, Dick enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping as well as picking ginseng with his son, pigeons, and going to car shows. He especially enjoyed spending as much time as he could with his grandchildren, who affectionately called him Poppie.
Dick is survived by his wife, the former Barbara J. Gaughan, whom he married on July 1, 1972, at the Middlefield United Methodist Church; one son, Richard G. Hoag, Jr. and wife, Kelly of Middlefield; one daughter, Bonnie Hoag and Kevin Bear of Livingston Manor; four grandchildren, Trevor James Hoag, Isabella Maxine Hoag, Brianna Arlene Bear and Kevin Michael Bear, Jr.; five sisters-in-law, Dawn Hoag of Milford, Kathryn Hoag of Milford, Leona Hoag of Maryland, Delores Kilts of Florida, and Barbara Hoag of Maryland; his wife’s siblings, Charles “Chuck” Gaughan and wife, Vicky, Sharon Curcio, Judy Baker and husband, Dennis, William Gaughan and wife, Suzi, and Margo Norman; many nieces and nephews; and many special friends.
Dick was preceded in death by his mother, Gertrude, who died January 24, 1979; his father, Lafayette, who died September 21, 2002; five brothers, Charles F. Hoag, who died July 31, 1989, Lafayette A. "Bud" Hoag, who died May 23, 2009, Douglas B. Hoag, who died June 19, 2012, Robert Carl "Bob" Hoag who died October 15, 2013, and Donald Philip Hoag who died May 7, 2014; his father and mother-in-law, James A. Gaughan, Sr. who died August 20, 1987 and Arlene W. Gaughan who died November 28, 2004; two nephews, James Hoag who died in September 1990, and Justin Robert Hoag who died September 27, 2016; and his dog, KeBri.
Family and friends are invited to call and pay their respects at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 11, 2018. At the conclusion of the visitation, a Funeral Service will be offered at 1 p.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. Ronald Fralick officiating. Burial with Military Honors will follow in the Milford Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.
If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.
