Roy C. Rogers, Jr., 88, beloved husband, father, engineer and minister of music passed away Sunday in Huntsville. Left to grieve is his wife of 62 years, Betty Ray Rogers; daughter, Beth Rogers Daughtery and husband, Bill; extended family and faithful friends. Mr. Rogers was the son of the late Roy and Beulah Nash Rogers and was predeceased by sisters, Claire (Hoover) Gibson, Lorraine Rogers and Romayne Rogers.
He was born in Guthrie, OK and spent his childhood in Arkansas City, KS. Following high school and serving in the US Navy, Mr. Rogers graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1949. Drafted into the Army in 1950, he was transferred to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. Here he met Betty and they were married two days after he was honorably discharged. In 1952, Mr. Rogers began a long and successful career with the US Government as a civilian employee where he was the Supervising General Engineer on Lance, Dragon and Tow, a vital missile mission in support of the Army.
While engineering was his expertise and chosen profession, music was his passion. He was a skilled vocalist as well as musician and served as Minister of Music at First Christian Church, Huntsville, for three decades beginning in 1953. He loved the adult choir and was intrigued with the idea of starting a youth choir. In 1972, New Vibes was organized to provide the youth of the church with both a singing activity and a means to develop a special youth ministry. Under Mr. Roger’s direction, New Vibes presented 14 musical productions. After retiring from both government service and director of the church choir, he continued to pursue his love of music by singing in the adult choir. While his professional and personal contributions were many, no roles were more important or precious to him than that of loving husband and devoted father.
Other survivors include niece, Nancy Augenstein (Stuart); nephew, Ron Gibson (Sharon), who are his sister Claire’s children; sisters-in-law, Emma Sharpe and Evelyn Tate; and nieces and nephews on his wife’s side, Carol Carroll (Dub), Cathy Hall (Steve), Eddie Stone, Jan Harvill, Ray Tate and Teresa Mason, (Brent).
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at First Christian Church with Dr. Guy McCombs officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Christian Church, Wounded Warriors Project or the Ark Shelter.
The family would like to thank Michael L. Ridner, MD and Philip Roth, Jr. MD for their continued care and dedication to Mr. Rogers and his health needs.
