|
Charles A. Rodgers
Longtime Kenai resident Charles A. Rodgers died Monday, Dec. 15, 2003, at
the Heritage Place in Soldotna. He was 82.
Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m.,
Saturday, Dec. 20, at the United Methodist Church in Kenai. The Venerable Norm
H. Elliot will officiate. Mr. Rodgers' remains were cremated and his ashes will
be buried in the family plot at the Pine River Cemetery in Alma, Mich., at a
later date.
Mr. Rodgers was born at home on the family farm
a mile west of Alma, Mich., on Oct. 21, 1921. He was raised there and farmed
with his father using horses and later tractors. He attended the one room Brick
School, the Alma High School and the Alma College. He was in the U.S. Army
Reserve briefly and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps before being sent back to
help work and manage his parent's farm.
In December 1943, Mr. Rodgers married his high
school sweetheart, Helen McGhee, and together they raised five children on their
farm a mile and a half north of his folks' farm. He helped form the American
Legion Post in Elwell, Mich., the Elwell Sports Club and the Little League
baseball team. He also served as Cub Scout Master.
In the summer 1979, The Rodgers realized a
long-time dream and headed up to Alaska to live. Mr. Rodgers worked the next 19
years as caretaker for Unocal's empty work camp, living on the premises across
from the Unocal plant, which now is Agrium.
He loved his family, the great outdoors,
hunting and fishing and passed his love for all of them on to his children," his
family said. "His great sense of humor, quick wit and special knack for
storytelling and his wonderful outgoing personality will be greatly missed by
all who knew him."
Mr. Rodgers was preceded in death by his
parents, Archie and Alma Rodgers, and son, Kirk Rodgers.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Helen
Rodgers; son and daughter-in-law, Chuck and Jeanette Rodgers of Soldotna;
daughter, Connie Rhoads of Kenai; sons, Brad Rodgers of Michigan and Mike
Rodgers of Kenai; grandchildren, Justin and his wife, Erika, of Dillingham,
Jessica and her husband, Jeffrey Moore, of Soldotna, and Carmen, Amanda, Jody
and Brandon Rodgers, all of Michigan; great-grandchildren, Clara of Soldotna,
and Haylee and Caitlin, both of Michigan; sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy and
Gordon Grant of Elwell, Mich.; aunt, Mabel Bragg of Mich.; brother-in-law and
his wife, Robert and Theresa McGhee of Salado, Texas; and many cousins, nephews
and nieces in Michigan and Texas.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that
donations be made in Mr. Rodgers' name to the Heritage Place, 232 Rockwell Ave.,
Soldotna, AK 99669, to the Renal Care Group of Anchorage, 4160 Tudor Centre
Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, or the charity of the donor's choice.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial
Chapel.
Source: Peninsula Clarion, December 18, 2003
|
