McSpadden Funeral Home
https://www.mcspaddenfh.com
George Maurice "Red" Hoagland, age 93, died peacefully at his home in Palmetto, Florida on July 6, 2021. Born in Carter County, Missouri to George E. Hoagland and Laura Evans Hoagland. George, who was also known to many as Maurice, "Coach," or "Red," grew up on the family farm, attended a one-room country school, and graduated from Van Buren High School at age 16, where he played on the H.S. State Championship basketball team. After a year at the University of Missouri where he ran track, he played baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals farm club before getting married to his high school sweetheart, Mary Jo Kennedy on August 22, 1945. After their marriage, the young couple moved to Memphis, Tennessee where he worked as a timber buyer for Chickasaw Wood Products. In August 1947 at age 19 he took a job as a car salesman at Hoehn Chevrolet in Memphis, and over his 22 years there became a manager and part owner. He joked about selling Elvis Presley used vans for his band in 1953 and 1955 as Elvis started his music career. He enjoyed golf and in 1958 helped found the Memphis Colonial Open golf tournament, later named the FedEx St. Jude Classic. In 1970 he moved to Tupelo, Mississippi where he started Red Hoagland Chevrolet. Prominent in the automotive industry, he served on a number of advisory councils, including the Board of Directors under two General Motors presidents, Pete Estes and Ed Cole.
Moving to Florida in 1978, he started several auto dealerships with his son George, including Hoagland Oldsmobile in Dunedin, Florida, Hoagland Oldsmobile in Bradenton, Red Hoagland Pontiac GMC in Bradenton, and in 2007 they opened Red Hoagland Hyundai in Winter Haven, Florida. Between 1977 until his death, he and his wife Jo spent much of their time in Highlands, North Carolina, their Palmetto Florida home, and in Van Buren, Missouri, where they built a home on the Current River and had a cattle ranch, the Lazy H, and also Red's Roost, a wildlife sanctuary. Red and Jo built and donated the Hoagland Youth Center for the town of Van Buren's youth, dedicating it to memory of his parents, George and Laura Hoagland. After a catastrophic flood destroyed a major part of Van Buren in 2017, including the First Baptist Church, Red and Mary Jo built and donated a new church building for the First Baptist Church.
His wife of almost 75 years, Mary Jo Hoagland, preceded him in death last year. They leave their three children, Katherine Nelson (John), Susan Whitington (Peter), George, Jr. (Mary), and seven grandchildren: James Nelson and George Nelson; Frances Josephic, Mary Whitington, and Daphne Whitington; Justin Hoagland & Ashley Johnston, and 14 great-grandchildren. He is survived by his 100-year-old brother, Charles Hoagland of Lynden, Washington and nephews, Robert and Michael Hoagland.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the First Baptist Church in Van Buren, MO. with the Funeral Services being held Thursday, August 5, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. in the Church Chapel. Rev. Ron Robinson will be officiating. Donations may be made to the First Baptist Church, 304 Sycamore Street, Van Buren, Missouri 63965, or to the hospice organization, The Tidewell Foundation, 5955 Rand Blvd, Sarasota, Florida 34238.
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