Jay Allen Sogg

Jay Allen Sogg, 91, of Los Angeles, California, passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 5, 2024.

He was born on October 15, 1932, in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of Mildred and Sam Sogg. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1948, and Jay graduated from UCLA in 1954. He then served in the US Air Force as a Flight Navigator from 1954 to 1956 in the Pacific window after the Korean War.

After completing his military service, he married Nancy Keen in 1959. They were blessed with two children, Susan and Jimmy. Jay took great pride in teaching his children and their friends how to play golf (miniature and real golf) and attending all of Jimmy’s sporting events, coaching his basketball and baseball teams at Barrington Park.

Jay started his career in commercial finance, later becoming a stockbroker. He achieved a significant milestone by passing the CPA examination on his first try in 1989. Jay concluded his career as a CPA at the Bay, Sherman and Craig accounting firm, retiring at the age of 65. In his retirement, he enjoyed playing golf, gaming and stock-market day trading.

Not only was Jay a math whiz, but he was also an accomplished tournament bridge player in the ’70s before transitioning to backgammon. Later in life, he started each day by reading the LA Times cover to cover and challenging himself with the daily Sudoku puzzle, which he almost always completed “without cheating.”

He was a huge sports fan, cheering his beloved Dodgers and UCLA Bruins through thick and thin. Witnessing the only UCLA football national championship in his senior year and then living through the glorious Wooden years forged a life-long passion for UCLA athletics.

Jay dedicated the last 37 years of his life to sobriety. He was a legendary speaker at the Roxbury Park AA meetings (his Home Group), where he provided invaluable life-support and mentorship to countless individuals. His front-right pocket will forever hold his cherished AA birthday chips, symbolizing his commitment to the program.

Jay is survived by his children, James Sogg and Susan Horn, son-in-law Michael Horn and Grandsons Kyle Horn and Justin Horn. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam Sogg and Mildred Sogg.

A family-only private service will be held on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Jay’s memory to Jewish Family Services of Los Angeles at https://www.jfsla.org .

Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles, CA, is assisting the family with the arrangements.