Curtis Wendell Hoganson

Curtis Wendell Hoganson died of cancer on February 15, 2026 at his home in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

Born September 15, 1955, in Minneapolis, Curt was raised in Fargo, North Dakota, the first of four children of Raynold and Lila Jean (Shirk)Hoganson. He attended Fargo South High School, where he excelled both academically as well as in sports as a member of the swim team. After graduating in 1973 he went on to North Dakota State University in Fargo where he earned his B.S. in chemistry in 1977. While at NDSU he was awarded the “Team-Makers’ Scholar-Athlete of the Year” for breaking the school record in the 200-yard butterfly stroke while maintaining straight A’s.

Continuing his education, Curt moved west to attend Washington State University where he received his doctorate in physical chemistry. It was there that he met his wife-to-be, another scientist, Nancy Nicole Artus. Together they moved to East Lansing, Michigan where Curt did post-doctoral work at Michigan State University while Nancy earned her Ph.D. They were married in East Lansing in 1988. Soon after, they had the opportunity to live and work in Sweden, both working in their respective fields. After two years abroad they returned to Michigan where they settled and began their family, welcoming daughters Hannah and Sondra.

The next move took the family to Downingtown, Pennsylvania where Curt worked as an analytical chemist at the pharmaceutical company, Frontage Laboratories, in Exton, PA, retiring in 2024. Among his accomplishments over his career as a chemist were:

• 26 publications in peer-reviewed journals and two book chapters on the mechanism of oxygen evolution in photosynthesis.

                     • A 1997 publication in Science which received national news coverage for its potential application in space for generating oxygen from water for astronauts.                                        • An invitation in 1998 from Stockholm University to do research with Per Siegbahn, the son and grandson of Nobel Prize winning chemists. (He accepted and spent one month in Stockholm.)

Curt enjoyed and excelled at playing Scottish, Irish, and Scandinavian fiddle music. He also enjoyed Scottish and International folk dancing.

Curt was an active member of the Unitarian Congregation of West Chester for over twenty years where he served on several committees and sang in the choir.

Curtis is survived by his wife of 38 years, Nancy Artus, daughters Sondra Hoganson of Hyattsville, MD and Hannah Hoganson (Paul Kristoffersen) of College Park, MD, grandchild Lucy Kristoffersen, brothers Kenneth Hoganson of Cartersville, GA, and Clifford Hoganson of Denver, CO, and sister Kathleen Hoganson of Dilworth, MN.

Among his many qualities, Curt will be remembered for his kindness, quiet strength, wit and astute intellect. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his Memorial Service on March 7, 2026 at 2 pm at the Unitarian Congregation of West Chester, 501 S High St, West Chester, PA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Curt’s name to Save the Music Foundation to help ensure that all children have access to music education. Curt was a regular blood donor, having given a total of eight gallons of blood to the Red Cross over the years. Another way that you can honor Curt is by pledging to donate blood through the Red Cross’s Sleeves Up campaign.

www.savethemusic.org

https://sleevesup.redcrossblood.org/campaign/honoring-curt/