Edward and Anita Hogan
Ed Hogan opened his law office in Somerville in 1953 and practiced from there until his colleagues literally carried him out of the office in October 2005 when he suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage while on the phone with a client. His wife, Anita joined Ed in his office when it opened and worked at his side for his entire 52-year career.
Throughout those many years, the Hogan's became very involved with charitable, civic and professional causes in Somerset and Hunterdon counties.
Among the organizations very dear to their hearts was Somerset Medical Center. Ed was a member and then Vice Chairman of the Somerset Medical Center Board of Trustees and, at the time of his death, was a member of the Somerset Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees. He spent countless hours serving on committees and attending meetings and functions for the medical center.
According to Anita, one of the life lessons that made the greatest impression on Ed was taught to him by former Somerville mayor George Shay, who stressed that it was each person's duty to "pay your civic rent."
In making the lead gift toward the construction of Somerset Medical Center's new neuroscience pavilion, Anita shared that sentiment. She also noted that Ed "would have been pleased to see the expert and caring treatment that he received when his own serious medical emergency brought him to Somerset Medical Center as a patient."
The creation of the Edward and Anita Hogan Neuroscience Pavilion will be a lasting tribute to the Hogans' tradition of "paying their civic rent."