Wife of Teamster official dies at 68
The wife of former Teamster official William Hogan, who played a supportive role behind the scenes of her husband's many commitments, has passed away.
Virginia died Wednesday after a battle with lung cancer. The 35-year Arlington Heights resident was 68.
Her husband ran Teamster Local 714, which grew from organizing industrial workers to include public employees, notably Cook County employees, including correction officers, service deputies and staff members in the County Clerk's office.
Local 714 later expanded to include 16 suburban police departments, Osco pharmacists and freight handlers for trade shows at McCormick Place and the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
Its most visible contingent includes handlers of transportation vehicles on movie and television sets, from trailers serving as dressing rooms to cars used in chase scenes, to limousines to drive the stars.
"Any film or TV show filmed in Chicago, we're involved," says James Hogan of Palos Hills, a former Teamster member and Mrs. Hogan's brother-in-law.
With her husband's involvement, and later her three sons, Mrs. Hogan remained supportive of their efforts, family members say, doing everything from delivering food to striking workers, to visiting movie sets.
According to her son, Robert, now head of Teamster Local 714, her favorite stars were actors Jim Belushi, Dennis Farina and Joe Pesci. She and her husband would occasionally meet them for dinner.
While Mrs. Hogan supported her husband's involvement when he served on the board of the Chicago Tourism and Convention Bureau for years, she played a more personal role with Little City Foundation in Palatine, where Mr. Hogan also served on the board.
"She was very involved in fundraising efforts," her son, Robert, of Palatine says. "In the early years, she often went there to help volunteer."
For many years, Mrs. Hogan helped her brother-in-law, James Hogan, who served as chairman of Little City's Super Bowl party, which took place on Navy Pier and later at the Stephens Convention Center.
"She was one of the most giving people you'd ever meet," her son Robert said, "but she always had a special place in her heart for children. From her grandchildren to children at Little City, she'd sacrifice anything to help them."
Besides her son, Mrs. Hogan is survived by her husband, William, two more sons, William (Gina) of Itasca and James (Mary) of Arlington Heights; as well as seven grandchildren.
Visitation for Mrs. Hogan will take place from 3-9 p.m. Monday at the Cumberland Chapel, 8300 W. Lawrence Ave. in Norridge before a 10:30 a.m. Mass on Tuesday at St. Phillip the Apostle Church, 1223 W. Holtz in Addison.