A man respected and loved by many, Charles Rogers Hyche, 72, died suddenly from injuries sustained from a tragic accident on Monday, July, 24th.
Rogers was born in Jasper, Alabama to the late Curtis Hyche and Emogene Banks Hyche. He is survived by his wife, the love of his life, Jane Cunningham Hyche, and daughters, Heather Imhof (Michael), Birmingham, Alabama, and Natalie “Muffin” Kelly (Chip) Orinda, California. During their extraordinary marriage of 50 years, their daughters blessed them with seven grandchildren, Safia Korin, Omar Korin, Kennedy Kelly, and Cricket and Dex Kelly, and two stepgranddaughters, Mila and Stella Imhof. He is also survived by his brother, Neal (Peggy), Ft. Myers, Florida, and sister, Renee McKee (Richard) Cary, North Carolina.
Rogers began his 40-year banking career at The First National Bank of Birmingham after graduating from The University of Alabama in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and Business Administration, majoring in banking and finance. He furthered his education at LSU’s Graduate School of Banking and Fort Hollibird’s Military Intelligence School. He served his country as a military intelligence analyst.
Professionally, Rogers spent his 40-year career at AmSouth Bank doing what he loved. In particular, he enjoyed the relationships he developed with business, political, charitable, and civic leaders. His rise to area executive and bank president was accented by his charitable and philanthropic service to the areas where he lived. In his early days he taught banking classes to other bankers, and in one case, central bankers from Bangladesh. He also served as president of The American Institute of Banking and served on many boards throughout Alabama, including Industrial Development Boards, Chambers of Commerce, Knox Concert Series, YMCA, and Anniston’s Museum of Natural History. Rogers also chaired many fundraising events and was chairman of the Business Council of Alabama’s Progress PAC in Region Eight. Business development and legislative responsibility allowed him the opportunity to enjoy lunch with President Ronald Regan in his first term, dinner with President Jimmy Carter, a private lunch with the House Speaker Dennis Hastert as well as governors and state legislators.
More than anything, Rogers treated everyone with kindness, respect, and appreciation. He was a wonderful father and devoted to his wife. Rogers was self-motivated and aspired to live, learn, love, and leave a legacy. He believed that we are who we are because of what we think. What we think is determined by what we learn and what we learn is determined by what we experience and what we experience is determined by what we expose ourselves to and what we do with that experience. In that regard, Rogers wrote a 700-page book, just for his family, about his experiences in life, entitled “Moments That Matter Making a Man in Full.” His wife, daughters, grandchildren, and siblings were surprised when they received one of the ten secretly written copies published only for them.
Rogers was an avid tennis player and loved the game of golf. He had a great exuberance for life and an optimistic spirit. His passion for watching Alabama football began in his high school days where he played quarterback at Walker County High School and was president of all of his high school classes.
A celebration of his life will be held at Wexford Plantation Clubhouse in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Friday, July 28m at 3 p.m. Reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations are made to your favorite charity.
