Updated 3/31/26
The City of Nampa said goodbye to Mayor Rick Hogaboam on Tuesday as neighbors gathered at the Ford Idaho Center to honor his life and legacy.
A changing of the guard at Hogaboam’s casket marked the beginning of a memorial centered around faith, family, and public service.
WATCH: Hogaboam's colleagues and friends memorialize his life
"Today is the most difficult thing I have ever had to do as a mother," Hogaboam's mother, Michong Chong, said. "No mother should ever have to see their son go before them."
Chong told service goers that the loss is still hard to understand.
"He told me how much he loved new job as a mayor," Chong said. "He was so excited. To make a better place to live, anyway he could."
Former Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling was among those invited to the stage as the service turned from music to personal tributes.
"Your dad would want you to know how much he loved you. He was so proud of you, each and every one of you," Kling said.
Before he became mayor, Hogaboam served as senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Nampa. Those closest to him say his life in public service shaped how he led.
ALSO READ | 'A sign of life': Nampa teens plant memorial trees at West Park to honor the late Mayor Rick Hogaboam
"He used to be our pastor when he first moved to Idaho," friends Randy and Sue said.
A photo from his office offered a glimpse into how Hogaboam viewed the job, showing a countdown clock reminding him exactly how much time he had left to serve his community as mayor.
The memorial turned deeply personal when Hogaboam’s 13-year-old son, Ezra, stepped forward to read Psalm 23.
Tuesday night's service made it clear that Hogaboam will be remembered not just for the office he held, but for the people he led, served, and left behind.
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The community is invited to attend a memorial service in honor of the late Mayor Rick Hogaboam at the Ford Idaho Center on Tuesday.
Doors will open at 4:00 p.m., and the service is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m.
Mayor Hogaboam passed away after a medical emergency, a cardiac tamponade, at a public meeting earlier this month.
Those who would like to attend the service are asked to park in the west lot, near Idaho Center Boulevard, and use "Entry 1." Additionally, the city asks guests to limit personal items to expedite security screenings.
The service will also be streamed live for those who cannot attend in person.
Donations via Venmo and GoFundMe are accepted to support his wife and their five children.
To allow city employees to attend the service, Nampa city offices will close at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
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