Blog archive
May 2024
Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024
No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024
An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024
Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024
Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024
The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024
Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024
April 2024
Rumor of Humor #2410
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2411
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2412
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2413
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2414
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2415
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2416
04/28/2024
Stimulated by "Caste"
04/22/2024
Tulsa reparations, Religion and Politics
04/09/2024
March 2024
Trumps War with Black Women
03/31/2024
Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024
Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024
Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024
Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024
Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024
Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024
Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024
Unchained
03/18/2024
Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024
Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024
Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024
February 2024
Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024
Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024
Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024
Letter from the President
02/27/2024
Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024
The Power of Touch
02/27/2024
Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024
Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024
Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024
Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024
Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024
Curve Balls
02/10/2024
Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024
Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024
Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024
January 2024
Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024
Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024
Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024
Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024
Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024
Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024
Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024
Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024
Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024
Beyond the Village – Suzi and Phil Hoge
By Susan KujawaPosted: 05/01/2023
Pasadena Village members Suzi and Phil Hoge are long-time residents of South Pasadena. After volunteering at a school during college, Suzi became a teacher, and eventually a school principal in the Pasadena Unified School District. She has also acted as a school administrator in both the Pasadena and Glendale districts.
Phil’s roots to the community go way back to his 1972 graduation from Blair High School. Phil and Suzi met at the University of the Pacific, where Phil was studying law. They married, and Phil became a lawyer while Suzi began her teaching career. When Phil became disenchanted with the adversarial nature of his profession, he was inspired by Suzi to go into education. He ended up back in the Pasadena Unified School District, teaching history at John Muir High School until he retired.
Phil and Suzi raised their three daughters in South Pasadena. Their oldest daughter, Laura, followed her parents’ career path and is now a Special Education pre-school teacher in San Diego. Their middle daughter, Karen, who has Down’s syndrome, works two days a week at Kidspace, and volunteers one day a week at Descanso Gardens. Suzi explains: “One of the benefits of being rooted in this area, is that there are lots of available resources”.
The youngest daughter, Jeanine, left the nest, eventually settling in Cape Town, South Africa. She is a solar planner; she draws up the electrical plans for solar panels installed throughout the world. It was in South Africa that she met the woman who became her wife. Phil traveled, during the pandemic, across the globe to attend her wedding. Explains Phil, “I wasn’t going to miss that wedding!”
Travel was on Phil’s agenda when he began thinking of retirement. Unfortunately, he retired at the beginning of the COIVD-19 pandemic, and had to put his travel plans on hold. However, he made good use of his time in South Pasadena. He joined the South Pasadena Kiwanis Club, whose mission is to provide leadership and growth among children of all ages. He also stays connected to Muir High School as a volunteer. And now, three years after he retired, he and Suzi are finally going on their long-delayed cruise of the British Isles.
Suzi retired from work in 2015, but, like Phil, she quickly immersed herself in her community. She became a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a women’s educational sorority. She joined the Pasadena Civitan Club, a 93-year-old service club whose main goal is to promote employment of people with disabilities. And she still works occasionally as a coach for new principals.
It was through Civitan that Suzi learned about Pasadena Village. Suzi was interested in having the Civitan Club host a table at last May’s inaugural Older Adults Information Fair at Jackie Robinson Center. As a result, she met the Village's Executive Director Katie Brandon, who was chair of the event. Suzi says, “I visited the Pasadena Village table during the Fair and that planted the seed. We finally joined the Village in September.”
Both Suzi and Phil became quickly involved in Village activities. Suzi joined the Book Club, the urban walkers group, and Easy Walkers. In addition, she is helping to plan the Village Visitors program. Phil, the history buff, enjoys the Great Decisions discussion group, and is also involved in the Men’s Time brunch and the neighborhood gatherings.
So why did they join the Village? Phil explains some of his reasons for joining: “I’ve found a stimulating group of people at different stages of their lives. We still lead very active lives, but we know things change. It’s nice to make connections with people who are at different stages. I’m happy to help others, to be of service. And I also feel I’m learning from others.”
Suzi adds, “Phil and I have had many frank discussions about growing older. We both feel it is important, as a couple, to have separate activities. One of us will die first, that is a fact. So we want the other one to have supportive connections. We have both seen examples of a partner being adrift after their loved one is gone. We don’t want that to happen to us.”
Pasadena Village is happy to welcome Suzi and Phil into our community. They are contributing to the Village in many ways and are reaping the rewards of membership in their own lives.