WORCESTER: Rev. Richard P. Hokanson, Jr., 64, of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, formerly serving in the Worcester Diocese, died at his home on Monday, April 29, 2013, after a brief illness.
He leaves a sister, Janice E. Baronoski of Leicester; a brother, Stephen M. Hokanson of Worcester; three nieces, Krissi Forgues and her husband Mark of Auburn, Bethe Kichula and her husband Peter of Shrewsbury, Rebecca Baronoski of Princeton; four great nephews, Jay and David Forgues of Auburn; Owen and Samuel Kichula of Shrewsbury; two cousins, Marcia McGlynn and her husband Lenny of Holden, Marilyn Roy of Boylston; and his beloved dog Maggie. He was born and raised in Worcester, son of the late Richard P. and Lucile E. (Syner) Hokanson and graduated from St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury. He also graduated from St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, CT and St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1974 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Worcester.
Fr. Hokanson served at several parishes in the Worcester Diocese including St. Louis in Webster, St. Mary’s in Southbridge, St. Luke’s in Westborough, St. Catherine of Sweden, St. Bernard’s and St. Joseph’s, all in Worcester. He had also served as a member of the faculty at St. Peter-Marian Central Catholic High School. In 1991 he moved to the Diocese of Charlotte, NC where he served as pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Newton and later at Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont. In 2009 he became Chaplain at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base near Goldsboro while also assisting at several parishes in eastern Gaston County. He enjoyed both classical and organ music and will be fondly remembered by many for his kindness, story telling and acerbic wit.
CALLING HOURS will be from 4 to 7 P.M. on THURSDAY, MAY 9 in KELLY FUNERAL HOME, 154 Lincoln St., Worcester. A FUNERAL MASS will be held at 10 A.M. on FRIDAY, MAY 10 in OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CHURCH, 7 Church St., Spencer, MA. (Please go directly to the church.) Burial will follow in Mary, Queen of the Rosary Cemetery, Spencer.
The family suggests donations in memory of Fr. Hokanson be made to Guest House, 1601 Joslyn Road, Lake Orion, MI 48360 or St. John’s High School, 378 Main Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545. To share your thoughts and memories with the family on-line, please visit www.kellyfuneralhome.com