Sister of St. Joseph Virginia Hogan (formerly Sister Claudia Marie), died on Sept. 22, 2011. She was 86 years old.
Sister Hogan entered the congregation from her home parish of St. Monica in Rochester in 1946. She graduated from Nazareth College in Pittsford in 1949 with a bachelor’s degree in music and earned a master’s degree in music education in 1955, also from Nazareth College. She added 30 hours in advanced conducting to her master’s, studying at Westminster Choir College at the Eastman School of Music.
She taught music at St. Mary, Elmira; St. Monica and Blessed Sacrament and St. Agnes High School, Rochester; and Immaculate Conception, Ithaca. She taught vocal music and was chairman of the music department at St. Agnes High School, and in 1975 she served as liturgy consultant and music conductor of the Perinton Chorale. In 1990, she became director of the Genesee Valley Orchestra and Chorus as well as the artistic director and teacher at Mount Savior Monastery in Elmira. She continued as consultant to both of these organizations until her retirement in 2006.
She is survived by her cousin, Carol (Tony) Ganzon and by her sisters in the congregation. Her funeral liturgy was celebrated in the motherhouse chapel on Sept. 30, 2011, with burial in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministry Fund, 150 French Road, Rochester, NY 14618.
