Gary Hoagland

Gary Hoagland was born to Roy and Alvina (Martin) Hoagland on December 28, 1947. He grew up in Terry, MT, where he attended school.  After graduation, he attended Eastern Montana College for two years.

He moved to Denver, CO, in 1970, and worked at Gates Rubber Company from 1970 to 1975.  From 1975 through 1980, Gary played music in various bands. He played bass and lead guitar and liked all kinds of music from rock and roll to blues, country music and everything from jazz to old standards. Gary was tired of the nightlife, so he only played part time after that and started a job at Safeway Stores International. He belonged to the Teamsters union and worked there from 1979 to 1995.

While there, he took up golf and played with his buddies from work and with his sister, Karen. Gary went back to college in 1995, and received an associates degree in graphic art from Arapahoe Community College in Littleton CO, in 1998. While attending college, he learned all the tools he needed for graphic design: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark Express and page layout. Gary took classes in pastels, watercolors, oils and illustration which he developed after he retired. After graduation, he worked at United Artist movie theaters as a graphic artist for a brief time.  He then worked at Whisper Walls, a company specializing in acoustic paneling, doing graphics for them close to two years. Gary switched occupations in 2002, and for a brief time he dealt blackjack and Texas holdem for the Easy Street Casino in Central City, CO. He enjoyed talking to his regulars at his table but did not like all the traveling up the mountain to work. From 2003 to 2009, he worked as an independent contractor for City Express and Transtek, delivering Staples office supplies to residents and businesses.

Gary had to retire early because of illness. He then moved from Colorado to Dilworth, Minnesota, to be close to his daughter and grandkids. He liked to go bike riding and swimming with his grandkids and liked to go watch them play baseball. He joined the Hjemkomst Artists and the Red River Watercolor Society in Fargo, ND. He enjoyed painting watercolors and acrylics with all of his art friends. While there, he sold several paintings, displaying his paintings in several businesses around the Fargo area. Over twenty of his paintings are on permanent display at Teddy's Eatery and Parlor, 212 North Broadway, in Fargo ND. Because of his illness, he had to move to Arbor Park Assisted Living where he enjoyed playing whist and bingo with his many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Alvina; and two sisters, Joan and Ann Wolff.

He is survived by his daughter, Nicolette Eggerud; five grandchildren, Caleb, Olivia, Payton, River, and Halo;  great-grandchildren, Lane Eggerud and Ryott Eggerud;  two sisters, Karen Hanson, Denver, and Bonnie Meek, St. Louis, MO;  and numerous nieces and nephews.

Private family services will be held.