John “Jack” Mogle passed away peacefully on August 28, 2021, at Edgewood Heights.
He is survived by his loving daughter Barbara Haughney; his beloved granddaughters Kathleen (Gray) Roher & Sarah Haughney; great grandchildren James & Madeleine Rohrer; his trusted sisters Marilyn Vetro and Donna (Elmo) Bailey.
He is also survived by close family friends Patricia Crawford and Randy & Jolene Frampton.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and wife of 56 years Helen as well as son-in-law John.
Jack was born in DuBois, PA and did an albeit short, but memorable stint in Galeton, PA as a child before coming to DuBois and finally settling in Porter Township with Helen.
Jack had a long, illustrious career at Redbank Valley High School, serving as a history teacher and guidance counselor.
Up until the day he died, if he saw a former student in town he could give a short synopsis of that student’s time at Redbank, what they did after graduation, where their parents lived in town and if they were a pain-in-the-neck student or one of the good ones.
Jack was a lifelong Democrat and for many years proudly boasted he was first in line at the voting polls in Porter Township.
He would teach his students the importance of voting and often wax poetic on the merits of his favorite president, Harry Truman.
In his later years, he’d quiz his granddaughters over dinner to test their knowledge of random historical facts.
When they didn’t know an answer, he would then launch into a long lesson on the topic of his choosing to further educate them. They loved it.
Jack and Helen traveled throughout the United States and the world in their retirement.
They went to Sweden, the United Kingdom, Argentina and Brazil just to name a few favorites.
The only gripe Jack had with one spot in the United States was Williamsburg, VA.
He claimed that it rained every time he went there and by 1995, he was convinced the city owed him compensation money for his precipitation troubles.
It should be noted that he had yet to receive that money but if anyone from the city of Williamsburg is reading this…
He was an avid member of the Redbank Valley Historical Society, his scroll saw group The Blazin’ Blades and the Clarion County Retired
Teachers Association.
He spent 50 years as a member of Syria Shrine and over 50 years as a thirty-second degree mason.
Jack served in the military first in the Marines 1946-1947 and then in the Army from 1951-1952.
Jack loved a great many things: genealogy, history, wood working, Penn State Football, The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Steelers, the aforementioned Harry S. Truman, old western films, working at his father-in-law’s service station, and making friends with strangers at the mall while Helen shopped.
He had a sweet tooth with a special penchant for Char-Val chocolate and Penn State Creamery ice cream.
But mostly he adored being a husband to Helen, a father to Barbara, a big brother to Marilyn & Donna, and a grandfather to Kathleen & Sarah. Jack loved his girls.
He also tortured his granddaughters by having them spend their summers tracking down various gravesites of long-dead Mogle family relatives.
There was even an instance where they trekked through a cornfield in 100-degree weather to find a make-shift cemetery from the 1700s.
His granddaughters now look back at this torture fondly and wouldn’t trade it for the world. Except for the cornfield. It was too hot
for that nonsense.
He made friends everywhere he went whether they spoke the same language or not.
He loved his neighbors like family and they him.
Jack spent his final years at Edgewood Heights in New Bethlehem where he enjoyed learning about the lives of his various caretakers and also educating them on copious amounts of local history and Harry Truman.
And as Jack would always say to Barbara, “Tomorrow is another day.”
Friends will be received on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Alcorn Funeral Home in Hawthorn.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, September 2, 2021 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with Reverend Dr. Jack Gareis officiating.
A masonic service will be held at 6 p.m. at the funeral home.
Interment will take place in the Squirrel Hill Cemetery, Porter Township.
In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions to the Redbank Valley Historical Society or the Squirrel Hill Cemetery Association.
The family also requests that during visitation and funeral services that masks be worn.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.alcornfuneralhome.com.
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