William Love Hogue  

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Though Dr. William Love Hogue of Villa Rica, passed away on January 19, 1954, at the age of 74, the memory of this good and great man will live on and on in the hearts of his relatives and friends who will want to read the following brief sketch of his noble, unselfish life:

On September 7, 1880, in Paulding County, Ga., near Concord Baptist Church there was born to William Thomas Hogue and Mattie Bagby Hogue this son, called “Lovie,” who, even in early boyhood said he wanted to grow up to be a doctor.

Often his mother would go to his pillow where he had fallen asleep, after a hard day’s work, and put out the little tin oil-lamp light by which he had studied, still dreaming of being a doctor some day.

After a few years of rural grammar school, he then studied in the near-by Villa Rica school, later going on to Atlanta Medical College (now a part of Emory University), where by hard study and at his own expense, he received his M.D. degree in 1907. Straightway he went into partnership with the elderly Dr. W. Frank Goldin at Draketown, Georgia, Haralson County.

Thus, with his great life-purpose being realized, he soon faced two other even greater decisions: Christianity and Marriage; so on April 2, 1908, he was baptized into Draketown Baptist Church, and on December 27, 1908, he was married to Miss Pearl McBrayer of Draketown community where they both served tirelessly for many busy years, not only through his professional duties, but also in the church and school work there.

During those “horse and buggy” days of his early rural practice, we have seen him come in at cold midnight hours with his coat covered with snow and ice from traveling many bitter miles, often up to the wheel hubs in mud, with only his oil lantern and his faithful horse to guide him home where he often found several urgent calls waiting him and went on unmindful of sleep.

His unfailing courage and determination, his keen sense of humor, and his loyalty to his great life purpose led him successfully on and on through those difficult times.

During those years their three dear children were born: two girls, Madeline and Vera (now Mrs. Marchman Boyd of Villa Rica and Mrs. Henry Torck of Columbia, S.C.) and a son, Leroy, who is now general manager of Southeastern Motor Lines at Carrollton.

For their better educational opportunities and better convenience in his profession, he moved to Villa Rica in about 1920, entering into private practice in connection with the Malone Drug Store (known now as the Villa Rica Pharmacy) where for about 30 years he has worked tirelessly among his many friends in Villa Rica, Temple, Draketown and surrounding territory of Carroll, Douglas, Paulding and Haralson Counties.

During his 46 years of practice he has been present at the birth of approximately 5000 babies, besides his general work as physician and surgeon.

As diversion from his strenuous duties he sometimes worked quietly with his bee hives, his vegetable garden, and whenever possible he would go fishing. Searching his reference books, magazines and papers also added to his quiet pleasure whenever he had a few spare minutes. He was a constant subscriber to the Villa Rica Breeze since 1926, thus keeping in touch with local events while he tried to rest in between calls.

He was a devoted husband and father, a beloved brother and friend; a private citizen without vices; a neighbor without reproach, a Christian without show and hypocrisy, and a man without guile, modest, gentle, honest, firm in his convictions, unselfish and faithful to his duties even up through the last day of his work in this world.

Truly he braved the cold and rain and snow,
When other travelers couldn’t go.
He traveled late, and hardly slept
When orphans cried and widows wept.
He lingered long beside the bed, Till dimmest hopes of life had fled,
Now, he has spent his earthly days. And his great soul has gone away.
When Heaven’s records are opened and read, Surely of him this may be said:
“Well done, thou tireless loyal one,
Thy starry crown has well been won---
Thou faithful People’s Doctor”.
Yet, he is not dead, he’s only away
Waiting for the great reunion
on that coming Judgement Day.