Robert Harold Hogsette, age 97, died Tuesday afternoon, October 28, 2025 at Lexington Court Care Center with family at his side.
Harold was born December 6, 1927 in Miami, Florida, the son of the late George Bivens and Maude Mabel (Adkins) Hogsette. After graduating from Miami High School, Harold enlisted into the United State Marine Corps serving his country during World War II. Harold was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina and later deployed abroad on the USS SIBONEY, an aircraft carrier which protected the eastern seaboard.
Following the war, Harold attended the University of Florida where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering in 1952. His vocation as a civil engineer began at Bethlehem Steel, while the majority of his working career was with the Army Corp of Engineers. It was during this time that he obtained his professional engineering licensure. Harold married Barbara Ann “Bobbie” Richardson on May 28, 1960 and soon after they began a family. Harold’s work took their family all over the world including Florida, Tennessee, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Virginia, and Panama. In 2001 they moved to Shelby, Ohio to be close to family and support their grandchildren’s activities. He and Bobbie became members of the First Baptist Church of Shelby.
As a young man, Harold had hobbies which turned into passions- sail boating and photography. He and a friend built a sailboat and Harold’s hobby morphed into sailboat racing. All this being paired with his eye for photography in an era where results were not instant but rather sought after and thoughtful. His talent of photography captured adventures Harold and his family took together in their travels. It was later in life that Harold also took up dog training and AKC showing.
Harold is survived by his sons: Robert H. (Susan) Hogsette, Jr. of Lexington and David S. (Renjie Liu) Hogsette of China; grandchildren: Kate S. (Evan) Stith, Paul R. (Lauren) Hogsette, David S. “Scott” Hogsette, Jr., and Christopher S. Hogsette; great grandchildren: Luke, Mason, and Michael Stith; and other relatives and friends. In addition to his parents, Harold was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, on September 19, 2014. He was the last surviving child of seven in the Hogsette family.
Family and friends are welcome on Monday, November 3, 2025 from 10-11 am at the Penwell Funeral Home, 168 West Main Street, Shelby, where funeral services will be conducted immediately following at 11 am. Rev. Dr. Amy C. Little will officiate the services with burial following in Oakland Cemetery, Shelby with full military honors. For those wishing, memorial contributions may be made to Dugit Outreach Ministries (dugit.org/donate/).
Condolences may be left on Harold’s obituary on the funeral home’s website (PenwellFuneralHome.com) or their Facebook page (Facebook.com/PenwellFuneralHome).