Margaret Hogan 1932 - 2012

It was announced yesterday that Margaret Hogan, former Mayor and Lib Dem councillor, had passed away after a short illness.

Born near Ipswich, Margaret moved to Brentwood when she married. She ran a Lampshade business with her husband in Shenfield for many years. Lived in Rose Valley, Brentwood in the fomer house of John Larkin, a great benefactor to Brentwood (Larkin's Playing Fields), a fact of which she was extremely proud.

Elected to Brentwood South in 1991, she served her community as a councillor until she stepped down in 2003. Margaret was very popular and was a very hardworking councillor. She was an Organist for many years at Holy Cross and All Saints R.C. Church and a great supporter of the German and French Town Twinning Associations.

Anne Long, another former Mayor of Brentwood when Margaret was Deputy Mayor, said:

"Margaret was mayor from 1998-99 and my Deputy the year before. She was a joy to work with and we had many laughs together during my year. She was also a great friend."

Cllr Ross Carter, Chair of Brentwood & Ongar Liberal Democrats, said:

""Margaret was highly regarded both within her ward, Brentwood South, which she served for 12 years, as an extremely effective and dedicated borough councillor, and within the wider borough, which she served as Mayor with dignity and the commitment and energy that were the hallmarks of her character.

Margaret loved the part of Brentwood surrounding Shenfield Common and Rose Valley and fought constantly to protect it and her passion and commitment to her locality was second to none. In recent years so many residents relayed to me how they remember Margaret determinedly striding through The Close and Shenfield Common on her way to council meetings! Brentwood and Ongar Liberal Democrats will remember Margaret as a tireless, committed Liberal Democrat, a strong voice for the the borough in which she lived and ran a small business, as a positive and determined character who always had a spring in her step and her approach to life which will remain an inspiration to us all."