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Fall 1997, Vol. 60, No. 1

Orville Hognander, an inspirational leader, dies

Orville Hognander ('36) died on May 6 in his home of 43 years in Edina, Minn.

Hognander helped other people do great things through his passion and inspiration. He had a great entrepreneurial spirit and used it to better the world around him.

In 1994 he and his wife, Gertrude (Lund) ('36), challenged Augsburg alumni to raise $25,000 for the music department. In the winter of 1996 that goal was reached and the Hognanders matched those contributions from over 300 music alumni and friends up to $25,000. With that, the music department was able to refurbish several pianos and buy new equipment and software for the department.

Hognander's connection with music at Augsburg began much earlier. While a student in the 1930s, he created, produced and announced the "Hour Melodious," a weekly program heard nationally on WCCO. He also participated in the Augsburg Ambassadors, a male vocal group.

When he was 43 he had a stroke, changing his life forever. He had to learn to talk, walk with the aid of a brace and use his left hand instead of his right for all tasks, including writing. This experience led Hognander to join the Courage Center Board of Directors (Minn.) and to become a member and elected as the chairperson of the Architectural Barriers Committee for the Minn. Society for Crippled Children and Adults. His efforts on that panel resulted in laws requiring equal access to building for handicapped people.

His role in helping others has had a great impact on my life, said son O.C. Hognander Jr., "On one occasion, an acquaintance brought a young lawyer who had had a stroke to meet my father. The man was saying that he felt helpless because he could only use one hand and couldn't dress himself. My father reached up and took off his tie and then put it back on and retied it with his left hand. Then he said, 'If I can do it, you can do it'."

Hognander had great success in his career as well. After his stroke, he resumed his international travel for Tennant, a maker of office cleaning machines and a variety of other products and succeeded in opening up Tennant's Japan and European sales division.

Besides his son, survivors include his wife, Gertrude, and two sisters, Ann Marie Olmstead, Benton Harbor, Mich., and Marjorie Silvis of McLean, Va.