William Rogers Sr.

William Pettit Rogers Sr., 80, peacefully passed from this life to the next on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010. At the time of his passing, our dad Bill was surrounded by his loving family on earth and awaited by the cherished family members who preceded him in Heaven including his father, James Leslie Rogers II; his mother, Geraldine Pettit Rogers; his brother, James Leslie Rogers III; and his infant son, Paul.

Dad was the beloved patriarch of a large, close-knit family: his wife, Corky, and eight children, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren plus two on the way. Dad's life was so defined by his love and commitment to family that we desired to list below every family member by name. We were so individually loved.

Dad was born in Pittsburg, Kan., on Dec. 5, 1929.

He married the girl of his dreams, Catherine Elizabeth "Corky" Rockey, on Jan. 1, 1950, a sparkly, snowy day in Evergreen, Colo., at the Mission of the Transfiguration.

Dad had multiple careers. He left his pursuit of a law degree to support a growing family. He was a business entrepreneur, insurance salesman, Episcopal priest and, after his retirement, a Kerrville school bus driver.

The center of his life was time spent with family, watching grandchildren play and joyfully organizing family trips and board games. Dad loved Blue Bell ice cream, Time magazine, movies, chess and the latest electronic gadgets. He was famous for corny jokes that he told, retold and told yet again, with evident pleasure. Every Christmas he read "Giant Grummer" and challenged his grandkids to taste the giant's vinegar and limburger cheese.

His son Dave attributes his ability to comprehend the love of God to his own father's love for him. He says, "Christmastime was special around the Rogers' house. But with eight kids, we knew Dad and Mom couldn't afford a ton of presents. Each year, Dad would pull us aside, one by one, and he'd ask what special gift we wanted for Christmas. One year I'd say, ‘A guitar', the next, an HO scale train set or a camera. I knew if my Dad asked what I wanted and I told him, he would give exactly that. So, when I came to a saving faith in Christ at 18, I discovered what Jesus said in Luke 11:9-13. Verse 13 says ‘If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?' When I read that, I knew my heavenly Father would do exactly what I asked Him. And He did. My dad lived that truth for me and it changed my life forever."

Given his deep love for his grandchildren, the family has requested that any memorials be given in his name to Oklahoma Wesleyan Baseball, Oklahoma West University, 2201 Silver Lake Road, Bartlesville, OK 74006, Attn: Kirk Kelly, baseball coach.

A memorial service will be at Notre Dame Catholic Church at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, with a reception following.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Corky; son, Philip; son, David and wife, Anita; son, Mark; son, William and wife, Beth; son, Kenneth; daughter, Sara and husband, Mark; daughter, Mary; daughter, Nancy and husband, Charlie; and his grandchildren, Patrick and wife, Dana, Ben, Bonnie, Aaron and wife, Kayla, Thomas, Catherine, Charles, Betsy, William III, Charlie II, Peter, Cody, James and Jacob; and great-grandchildren, Faith and Liam.

All arrangements are under the care of Wright's Funeral Parlor in Kerrville.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William Rogers Sr., please visit our floral store.