Obituary for Luther Willard Rogers Jr. Dad was born on April 1, 1925. He was a gift from Sadie Ray (Miller) Rogers to Luther W. Rogers, Sr. on his 32nd birthday. Our dad grew up in southeastern Kansas.
His mother, Sadie Rae passed when Dad was just 7 years old, deep in the Great Depression. Luther Sr. and his father attempted to raise four young children but had to turn to an orphanage for help for a few short years. Dad heard the call to defend our nation and joined the Navy at the age of 17.
He was assigned to the new SeaBees Union (Construction Battalion). On his 20th birthday, the U.S. Military invaded Okinawa and Dad was one of the members who climbed over the side of the ship and down the rope ladder as they arrived on the shores of Okinawa. Dad helped build the airstrip that the Enola Gay returned to after it’s mission to Nagasaki.
After the war, Dad joined the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union. He was working in Clinton, Iowa when he met Grace Verlee Saunders and swept her off her feet and they made plans to marry. Dad traveled to Hanford for work in 1948 where Grace subsequently joined him and they married on June 21, 1948.
Their family began with the birth of their son, Duane, followed by their daughter, Janet and their son, Jim. Luther loved his trade. He was asked to steward one of Local 598’s largest jobs building the Purex Plant for Bland Knox at a young age.
Jim Payne asked him to be a business agent for the Local, which he did. Dad was proud to have worked with his own father and both of his sons at various times. After he retired at age 62, he obtained his realtor’s license and began another career.
Over his lifetime, Dad enjoyed hunting, fishing camping, gardening and spending time with his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and his great great grandson. We all have wonderful memories of him teaching us all to fish, gardening with him and remarkable camping trips. Most importantly, we all grew up knowing that he was and always would be there for us.
Not only his immediate family, but many others over the years began our lives rocking in his arms while he sang “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” to each of us. It became his tradition to call each family member on their birthdays to sing “Happy Birthday”. On April 5, 2018 at the age of 93 and while in the home that he and his wife of over 66 years built, shared and opened to all.
Luther/Junior peacefully passed from this world to the open arms of the Lord. He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Wayne and Donna Rogers (MO), sister-in-law, Norma Rogers (KS), sister-in-law, Dorothy Kennedy (OR), son and daughter-in-law, Duane and Cheryl Rogers (Pasco, WA), daughter, Janet (brown-eyed-dolly girl) Carey (Kennewick, WA), son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Lisa Rogers (Kennewick, WA), grandchildren Michelle (Stuart) Case, Candace (Aziz) Gazipura, Amy Fannin (Will), Nick (Laura) Carey, Noe Robledo Cary, 12 great grandchildren and one great great grandson. In addition, he leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews.
Dad was preceded in death by the love of his life. , Grace Verlee Rogers, his parents, his brother, Lloyd, his sister and substitute mother, Helen, his grandson, Kyle Carey and his granddaughter, Jennifer Marie Carey. Services to celebrate Luther’s life will be held on Thursday, April 12, 2018 at Mueller’s Tri-Cities Funeral Home at 1PM followed by a graveside service with military honors.
A viewing will be held at Muellers’s on April 11 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. In keeping with Luther’s charitable nature, donations may be made to the Chaplaincy Hospice Care or the local group of Seabees (Mid-Columbia, WA, SVA Island X7) for their Christmas program to benefit families in need. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Luther Willard Rogers Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store.
Upcoming Events Funeral 2018 APR 12. 01:00 PM Mueller’s Tri-Cities Funeral Home 1401 S. Union Kennewick, WA, US, 99338 tricities@muellersfuneralhomes.com Order Flowers for the Funeral Service Guaranteed delivery before Luther’s Funeral Service begins.
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