Harry H. Hoagland

Harry H. Hoagland, 85, passed away peacefully on November 6th, 2020.  He was born on September 24th, 1935, in Tippecanoe County, Ind.  He was raised in Covington, In. by his parents, John and Ruth Hoagland.  He was the “baby brother” in a family of eight children.  He was proud to be a 1953 graduate of Covington High School.

Harry is preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 53 years Betty (Barnes) Hoagland, his brothers Richard and Nathaniel Hoagland, and his sisters Alvina VanPelt and Naomi Hines Hoagland. 

He is survived by his daughters, Patty Hoagland (Rebecca Murphy) and Connie Hoagland (Kim Chambers); his brother, George (Lee) Hoagland; and his sisters, Katherine Hines-Seyfert, and Helen Bellis-Van Leer.  He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and friends who became family in his beloved community of Covington. 

Harry grew up in Fountain County, Indiana.  After his graduation he spent two years playing football at Franklin College.  He returned home to marry his high school sweetheart, Betty Barnes, in 1956.  He joined and proudly served in the US Army Reserves from 1957-1962.  The couple moved to Danville where Harry was employed in the insurance industry for 46 years. They loved to travel, play cards with friends, and spend time with their loving families.  Harry was an avid gardener and found great joy in making beautiful flower gardens.  He was very involved in his daughter’s sports teams, and spent several years recruiting and coaching for the DACC Lady Jaguars. Harry concluded his insurance career with AFLAC in 1998 to care for his wife. During his retirement years, he became very involved in antiquing and opened his own business, Back Home Again Antiques, on the downtown Covington square. He and his wife were lifelong, faithful members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Danville.

Harry’s positive outlook always had him looking for ways to serve others and his community.  He felt an intense passion to love others as Christ did. He always had a story to tell and a desire to hear others tell their story as well.  Some of the many organizations he gave his time to include: The Alzheimer’s Support Group, Betty’s Battle, Student Mentoring Program, Covington City Park Flower Bed Improvement Project, Mt. Hope Cemetery Board, Fountain County Historical Society, Book Lover’s Club, The Art Council, the Covington High School Alumni Association, and The Salvation Army.  In 2019 he was honored with the Salvation Army’s Living Legacy award for “Doing the Most Good.”

To build on Harry’s legacy, donations may be made to the Western Indiana Community Foundation or The Covington High School Alumni Association.  If you pass a Salvation Army Kettle, remember the man in the red Santa suit and drop in an extra coin in memory of HHH. 

Due to COVID-19, the family will be having safe and socially distanced services requiring masks to be worn.  We would love to see everyone but know that Harry would not want to jeopardize anyone’s health during this time.  We will be having a memorial and celebration of life at a future date to share hugs and wonderful stories with one another.  Until that time, the visitation will be Wednesday, November 11, 2020 from 4:00pm-6:00pm CST at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Covington, Indiana, 420 3rd street Covington, Indiana 47932.  The family will also receive visitors Thursday, November 12, 2020 from 10:00am-11:00am CST at Trinity Lutheran Church, 824 E Main St, Danville, Illinois, 61832. The funeral service will follow at 11:00am, with Pastor Kent Tibben officiating.  Burial: Mt. Hope Cemetery, Covington.

Please join Harry’s family in sharing memories on his Tribute Wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.