HOGAN, Derek James
March 12, 1956 - May, 2022. We are heartbroken to announce the loss of our dear brother Derek James Hogan on May 7, 2022, from a short catastrophic illness while receiving treatment for throat cancer in the Health Science Centre in St. John’s, N.L.
Derek was born in Rockingham, to Leo Hogan and Muriel (Rose) Hogan. He was predeceased by first partner, Margo Hughes and second partner, Samia Husain. He is survived by siblings, Susan Newmanbennett (Barney Mccabe), Sheila Banks (Michael Banks), Peggy Hogan (Viv Seward), Chris Hogan, Pat Blaikie (Gary Blaikie), Daphne Hogan; many nieces and nephews, and stepsons, Adam and Ryan Coffin.
Derek attended Halifax Grammar School, then went on to Colby College in Maine and Carleton University in Ottawa. On his return to Halifax Derek worked as a journalist (Chronicle Herald, Daily News), and drove a cab, before going on to Dalhousie Law School. He was called to the bar in 1989. Derek became a preeminent defence lawyer and practiced with his beloved Newfoundland Legal Aid Commission for his entire career. In 2021 Derek was inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Trial Lawyers, an honour bestowed on only a handful of lawyers in the province. Derek conducted dozens of jury trials, including many murder trials; he appeared in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada perhaps more times than any other defence counsel in the history of the NL Bar. Although erudite and encyclopaedic in his knowledge of criminal law, Derek was never “prolix or verbose”, words he once used in an appeal to describe a judge’s instructions to a jury. Derek was also distinguished by the respect and courtesy he showed the bench, opposing counsel, staff and witnesses, matched only by the respect and admiration with which he was held by the legal community.
Derek was an avid sports fan and recreational athlete. For almost 30 years, he played pick-up hockey, golf, football, and softball with a group of friends. A stay-at-home defenceman, Derek loved playing hockey especially the dressing room banter after each skate. A bad knee kept him off the ice the last couple of years, but he was hoping to return next season.
While living in St. John’s, Derek had many favourite haunts downtown, the Duke, Nellies, Rose and Thistle and Trinity Pub. On Friday evenings, he was a familiar figure on Water Street with a cigarette in his oversized hands chatting with whoever joined him for a smoke. Derek, who was once offered and turned down an appointment as Queen’s Counsel, was happiest when he was in a dressing room or at a table at Nellie’s arguing about politics and law.
When Derek visited his sisters in Nova Scotia, he enjoyed celebrity status. We loved him for his good nature, his wit and his desire to make people laugh and have a good time. In addition to losing our only brother we feel like we have lost the keeper of the family lore; Derek was the one we went to with questions about anything from family vacations to our father’s war experiences. Goodbye Derek, we’ll miss you XO.
We want to thank Kim and Andrew, the ICU nurses who provided loving care and support to Derek and his sisters, as well as Dr. O’brien, who guided us through the process with empathy and compassion.
Visitation will be held in Barrett’s Funeral Home at 328 Hamilton Ave., St. John’s from 4-9 p.m. on Friday, May 13th, and 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, May 14th. A memorial service will follow at 4 p.m. Saturday. The service will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person and the link can be found on Barrett’s website. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Gathering Place. To leave a message of condolence for the family please visit:
www.barretts.ca