Diane Alta Hogan
Diane was born in San Diego, CA to Roy and Dorothy Pogue. She and her younger sister Patricia spent their early years in Mt. Laguna, CA where her mother built their rockhouse. They rode horses to a one room school house. When starting high school, she and her horse boarded with a family in El Cajon. The family moved to Willows for a short time, where she graduated high school.
She met Bill Rigler at the Bostonia Ballroom in El Cajon, CA. They married in 1950, having two children, James and Darlene Rigler. Diane and children moved to Santa Barbara to be close to her parents. She attended business college and started working as a secretary at Wilson McMahon Furniture. Through mutual friends she met and then married Daniel Hogan in 1958. Their daughter, Dawn Hogan was born while the family was living in Army barrack housing at Pilgrim Terrace. When Debra Hogan was born they bought their home on Walnut Lane. Diane worked hard at Wilson McMahon with an interest in advertising, eventually becoming Advertising Manager, housed in the Press Room building, and later on TV Hill.
In the ’70’s she set her sights on becoming a Reserve Deputy Sheriff in Santa Barbara, rising to the rank of Sargent, including time as a Mounted Enforcement Officer. She transitioned to becoming a 911 dispatcher and was one of the best – adapting quickly to new technology. She retired in 1996 and spent more time with family, friends and horses, and traveled the world with her childhood friend, Joanne Dukatz.
In 2019 she moved north to Graeagle, CA to be close to Debbie and family and get back to living in the pines. Mom enjoyed an active life and until the last couple months, the hi-lite of her day was walking right out her door with her dogs to visit her horses, carrots in hand. She enjoyed her card group on most Saturday nights while in SB as well as Chumash and Elks bingo! She whipped through the LA Times daily crossword for as long as we can remember. She could sew, knit and crochet anything she chose and created so much beauty. She always arrived to family gatherings with baskets and boxes filled with her many homemade specialties. She was also a builder, drawing plans and completing countless woodworking projects. There was really nothing our mom couldn’t do! She died peacefully at home after a brief illness, age 92.
Preceded in death by son Jimmy and sister Pat Campbell. Survived by daughters Darlene Douglas (Aaron), grandchildren Keith and Kelly Douglas of Santa Barbara; Dawn Hogan (John Fotinos) of Grass Valley; Debra Thompson (Stanley), grandchildren Hilary and Marshall Thompson (Kelsey) and great-granddaughter Walker Thompson of Graeagle.
Donations in her memory may be made to Return to Freedom, a cause she supported: www.returntofreedom.org.
