San Diego State University’s oldest known alumnus, William “Bill” Vogt died Feb. 29, 17 days after celebrating his 107th birthday.
Vogt’s passing, confirmed by his son, Bob Vogt, ends a link to a part of SDSU history as his father is believed to be the last remaining student to have attended classes at what was once the San Diego State Teachers College campus in Normal Heights. He was among the first students to set foot on the present-day campus when it opened in 1931.
During the Great Depression at a time when Edward L. Hardy, whom Vogt once recalled as “very low key,” was the school’s second president.
Vogt completed his business degree course work in late 1934 when San Diego State had no official commencement ceremony for mid-year degree completion. Although he said he requested a diploma, he could not recall having ever received one.
SDSU righted the omission on Aug. 16, 2018, when, at the age of 105 and 83 years after he had earned it, Vogt’s diploma was presented to him by SDSU President Adela de la Torre during a ceremony at the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center. News coverage by local media was picked up by organizations who spread the story around the world.
At the time, Vogt told The San Diego Union-Tribune he remembered being part of a group that painted a giant “S” on San Diego’s Cowles Mountain, a symbol of the college that stood for decades.
Vogt was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and the Korean War and retired in 1970 with the rank of commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve.
A notice of his death issued by the Navy said he enlisted in the Reserve with a rank of Yeoman First Class in 1940 and was called up Dec. 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He served as an intelligence officer at several locations, including California and Washington, D.C. While living in Seattle, he was called back to active duty upon the outbreak of the Korean War.
In March 2016, Bob Vogt and his sister, Michelle “Shelley” Moss (’69), brought their father back to campus for a surprise tour a few weeks after William’s 103rd birthday.
The topper was a stop at Viejas Arena where the three met the SDSU men’s basketball coaches and players. The team presented William with a signed basketball.
“I watch them all the time,” William Vogt said after the meeting. “I didn’t think I would ever have a chance just to shake hands with them.”
“I knew it would mean something to him,” Bob Vogt said. “It’s a highlight in my dad’s life.”
Vogt always looked forward to watching the Aztecs on television and rarely missed a game. On Feb. 11, he stayed up late to watch SDSU clinch the Mountain West Conference regular season title by defeating the University of New Mexico Lobos.
Bob Vogt said his dad was his “best friend, a hero and a role model” and “particularly loyal to San Diego State.” He said one of the things he will miss most is the two of them watching Aztec basketball games together, especially this year’s team.