William Hildreth Fogg, Jr.

If anyone ever cared, really cared for someone else it would have to be William Hildreth Fogg, Jr. He was a warm hearted and well liked individual, and these wonderful traits came easily to him because he was such a sociable and amiable person, someone who was always making certain that those around him had whatever they needed. William was a talkative person who was tactful at all times but typically said what he meant.

William was born at home in the family farm house in Mannington, New Jersey. He was the son of William Harrison Fogg and Anna May Ware. William was raised in Salem, New Jersey. During his childhood he learned to be reliable and respectful. William was an obedient child who wanted to win the favor of others. He found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of William's personality throughout his life.

Though William was frequently the one to initiate games and activities with his family, he was also quite often the family member who took the role of referee. William was a peace-maker with an ability to resolve all sorts of family conflicts. In fact, William worked conscientiously to keep those typical family spats at bay. William was raised with one sibling. He had a sister, Mariana. William and his sister had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they cared deeply for one another.

As someone who reveled in the sheer joy of his experiences, William was always enthusiastic about new adventures. Although he had an exacting nature, William was always tactful. One thing William will certainly be remembered for is that, when he got up in the mornings, he was ready and raring to go. As a young boy, William had a number of interests and was an active child. William took part in baseball and football. In his spare time he liked to play on the family farm. He also enjoyed all the animals, and helped raise tomatoes, chickens, and police dogs. He especially enjoyed the traveling air show that would use the family farm to land and take off. He loved to watch the aerobatics and got a few free bi-plane rides.

For William, the school routines were never a problem although he generally preferred variety to structure. He seemed to be able to start a project and work right through to its completion. And he was able to do it quickly and efficiently. William was also adept at details. William was very observant and was generally quick at picking up new things. He graduated from Salem High School in Salem, New Jersey in 1935. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Mathematics.

College can be a challenge, but William appeared to be well equipped to succeed. He had a knack for staying focused and on track no matter what was going on around his. William had the ability to work undisturbed through all of the constant interruptions that are a regular part of college life. William enjoyed using the skills he'd already learned and applying them to new courses. He knew the facts and rarely made factual errors. He earned his B.S. degree in Industrial Management in 1948 from Temple University. His favorite courses were Economics.

There was one thing that all of William's friends knew and will still remember, and that is that he was a talker. He could pretty much talk to anybody about anything. This quality is one of the primary reasons that William was such a popular person throughout his life. But William was also dependable, loyal and trustworthy. William was the kind of person who simply radiated good fellowship. While he maintained personal standards and his own personal values, William was very accepting of others. With a distinct skill for working things out, William was often the person who would organize events. In fact, William was fairly comfortable playing the role of “host” for just about any occasion. When William made friends, he made true and lasting friendships. While growing up, some of his best friends were Charlie Johnson and Orkie Kline. Later in life, he had many friends.

William was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call his sentimental and a romantic at heart. His kindness and consideration radiated an aura of warmth to those around his. William cared for what others thought and carried that into his marriage. On May 20, 1944, William married Susan Fabyan Howe at the First Presbyterian Church of Woodbury, New Jersey. Compassionate and devoted, William worked hard to make his new life partner happy.

Harmony was important to William and he made every effort to maintain it with his family. William had three children, two daughters, Susan DeForest and Mary Elizabeth, and one son, Randall Hildreth. He was blessed with seven grandchildren, David, Carob, Robert, Daniel, Margaret, Thomas, and Mathew. William was also blessed with two great grandchildren, Avalon and Aremis. William was always conscious of the feelings others had. He was reasonable and understanding. As a result, William was quick to solve disputes and did so without much fuss. His secret of success in this area was simple: William would listen before he would act.

Taking his work seriously came naturally to William, and he expected the same from those around him. William was a good team player, someone who was born to cooperate with others. He was what some would call a “people person” and it was demonstrated in his good communication skills. William was a steady worker, one who was realistic about schedules. The kind of details that would give family members and work colleagues fits were situations that William handled well. He could understand the details without getting lost in the broad “big picture.” His primary occupation was as an Logistics Engineer. He was employed for Aerospace, Boeing, Lockheed, and Westinghouse. He brought harmony to his work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining respect for his colleagues.

Blessed with a practical nature, William was a person who appreciated the routine of the military. He was a man who took his obligations seriously, working well with the others in his unit. William was an Army veteran for World War II. He was in active duty for 4 years, and inactive reserve for 20 years. William also participated in the invasion of Solerno during World War II. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Captain.

A methodical man, William enjoyed spending time working on his various hobbies. He had no problem following all of the steps and instructions on a given project and was proud of the fact that he could have something to show for his efforts. His favorite pursuits were traveling.

William was one of those people who took pride in constantly putting forth his best effort. Nowhere was that more visible than in sports. William was always enthusiastic and a great team player. In high school, William played baseball and football. William also liked being a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were baseball and football.

William was the kind of person who would readily move into action in order to help others. He was appreciated and respected. He could find value in the opinions of others and was passionate about his own values and beliefs. So it’s little wonder that he was active and highly valued by those in his community, serving on committees for the SIRS. Politically, William was a Republican.

His high moral standards and traditional values served William well with his faith. Religion and faith were important to him. He was a member of the Village Chapel for 5 years. He was well respected because he was such an outgoing individual who sought to help in any manner he could.

Not only did William enjoy traveling, but he also seemed to enjoy planning all of those trips and vacations. He was a facilitator who could easily make up a near perfect schedule of all of the things to do and see. He rarely tired of going back and revisiting his favorite places. Favorite vacations included Paris and Italy.

William was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of his favorites was Dugan, a Beagle, who was a best friend for 11 years. His family was rounded out by his cat, Mimi.

Since it was easy for William to meet and get to know new people, he quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once he met those new friends, he loved sharing stories and talking about the good old days. Since he was practical and cost effective, William was ready when that day to retire finally came in 1984. His new life involved relocating to Santa Clara. In retirement, he found new pleasure in traveling. He loved to travel all over the world after both, he and his wife, retired from their jobs. Even in retirement, William stayed in touch with his old friends and made plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities that retirement offered him.

William passed away on September 23, 2010 at Kaiser Hospital Santa Teresa in San Jose, California due to kidney disease. He was preceeded in death by his wife, Susan Fabyan in 2005, and by his daughter, Susan DeForest in 2006. He is survived by his children Mary Elizabeth and Randall Hildreth; his sister Mariana; his grandchildren David, Carob, Robert, Daniel, Margaret, Thomas, and Matthew; and his two great grandchildren Avalon and Aremis. Services were held at the Foothill Clubhouse in the Villages in San Jose, California. William was laid to rest in Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose, California.

William was a fantastic conversationalist who could engage just about anyone in a discussion. And whenever he said something, he meant it. William was a down to earth person, outgoing and gregarious. He was without question the type of person who enjoyed experiencing things first hand. He was practical and sensible, but what friends and family will remember him for most is the fact that he was so understanding and kind. Everyone whose life he touched will miss William Hildreth Fogg, Jr.

Arrangements under the direction of Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park, San Jose, CA.