Obituary for Larry N. Rogers Larry N. Rogers March 5, 1942 -December 14, 2018 Augusta, GA – “Five minutes to curtain Mr. Presley,” called a young Larry Rogers as he knocked on the arena’s dressing room door. “Come on in ‘n’ get you a Co’cola,” Elvis replied. Straightening his sequined collar and scarf, he told Larry, “Now, let’s go make ‘em happy”.
That’s when Larry knew he wanted a career in performance venue operations. His decision led to jobs at five arenas and theaters throughout the Southeast, most notably as General Manager of the Augusta Richmond County Civic Center—not once, but twice, retiring in 2006. Larry and his young wife Rebecca came to Augusta in the summer of 1979 as the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center (now James Brown Arena/Augusta Entertainment Complex) was under construction.
He became GM shortly after the facility’s grand opening. He steered the complex through its early glory days when acts such as The Beach Boys, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, and Willie Nelson regularly sold out the house. Working with local event promoters, Larry helped establish long-running staples of the Augusta entertainment calendar such as the Augusta Cutting Horse Futurity and Pops at the Bell.
He oversaw the complete renovation of the aging Bell Auditorium in 1991. He also served for a time as the Executive Director of the Imperial Theatre, as well as earlier assignments at civic centers in Roanoke, VA, Huntsville, AL, Huntington, WV and later in Statesville, NC. He took pride in “opening a building from the ground up,” supervising construction, ordering original equipment and seeing his buildings through their early, challenging shakedown periods.
Larry worked long hours, rarely missing an event, no matter how early or late the hour. In the pre-cell phone days “Unit One,” as he was called, stayed in contact with his staff on a big, black Motorola military-grade walkie-talkie. He kept this three-pound box with him constantly until his wife finally forbade it in the bedroom.
Despite his busy schedule, Larry enjoyed his hobbies: hunting, fishing, cooking and especially golf. In his later years he was a member of the Geezer Golfers of Augusta at Forrest Hills Golf Club, where he shot his only hole-in-one. But Larry’s greatest gift was the gift of friendship.
He was a friend maker and a friend keeper. If Larry Rogers liked you—and he liked most—you became his “buddy” or his “sweetheart,” and you got regular phone calls offering his latest, often tasteless, joke. In 2008 Larry miraculously survived a plummet from his attic to the concrete 15 feet below.
After three months at three Augusta hospitals, he recovered to resume his retirement pursuits until multiple health problems began to slow him down in recent years. Larry died at University Hospital on December 14, 2018 from congestive heart failure and end-stage renal disease, surround by his family. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Rebecca B. Rogers and his sons Christopher, Scott, and Mark Rogers, grandson Dustin Rogers, niece Tracy Shanks and sister Donna Young, all the Roanoke, VA area and his beloved in-law family members in Chapel Hill, NC and Birmingham, AL.
Larry’s favorite holiday was Christmas and he would want everyone to have a merry and joyous one. Therefore, his memorial event will be held after the holidays, time and place to be announced. Memorial gifts may be made to the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, the Golden Harvest Food Bank or the Imperial Theatre renovation fund.
Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd. , Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.
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