Jessica Hogan

With hearts filled with sadness and love, the family of Jessica Hogan, 47, announces her passing on January 18, 2025, after a long and brave battle with renal failure, a complication of Type-1 Diabetes.

Jessica was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania on June 28, 1977, and she spent a happy childhood in both Scranton and Harding, Pennsylvania, later moving to Clarks Summit where she graduated with Honors from Abington Heights High School in 1997. She went on to study English Literature at Ithaca College then Education at Kutztown University, where she graduated in 2001. She began teaching at Abington Heights High School and Middle School, where she developed close bonds with not only co-workers but with students in each class, who would let her know as they went on in life how impactful her classes had been, and how instrumental she was in helping them develop an enduring appreciation for literature.

After diabetic retinopathy made her teaching responsibilities untenable, she left her position at Abington Heights Middle School, and for some time she focused on numerous eye surgeries and the recuperation from them. However, she eventually determined that she wanted to get her Master's degree, and trained with Blind and Visual Services on computer equipment for the visually impaired and soon won scholarships to Carnegie Melon University and the University of Pittsburgh.  She chose a Socio-Linguistics program at the latter institution and would come to have a love for the city of Pittsburgh that lasted for the rest of her life.

Jessica is survived by her sister; Shawna Hogan, Springville, PA, Grandmother; Peggy Rose, S. Abington Township, PA, Partner; Dave Kline, Kingston, aunts Kristen Rose, Dalton, Beverly Lesnefsky, Eynon and Joni Dixon, Hurst, TX, and uncles; Tony Rose, Dalton, Jerry Lesnefsky, Eynon and John Dixon, Hurst, TX.

She was preceded in death by her great-grandparents, Salvatore and Melba Garofalo and Henry and Eglantine Rose; and her beloved mother and grandfather, Deborah and Fred Rose.

Jessica possessed the rare quality of being equally at home in the company of her close friends, sister, family, and boyfriend, and also in the solitude required by the pastimes she most enjoyed: reading, listening to audio books, interviews and quiz shows on NPR, discovering new recipes, and watching everything from oddball comedy and travel specials, to any kind of reality competition with a focus on creativity – all with plenty of refills on her trademark mugs of hot tea. (Of course, she would be the first to dispute that she was ever really in solitude for these pursuits, as her dear, enamored cats were never far from her side.)

Jess was known for her fierce intelligence, bottomless curiosity, mischievous and creative wit, tremendous resilience, and the loving light of her big heart.  Everyone whose life she touched, will carry her memory.

Services will be private and arrangements have been entrusted to Lawrence E. Young Funeral Home and Cremation Services Inc., 418 S. State Street, Clarks Summit.