Thomas C. Rogers

THOMAS C. ROGERS ROGERS, THOMAS C., 81, passed away suddenly on April 15, 2006 at the UCI Medical Center, in the company of his beloved wife of 55 years, Cecile, and his children. Tom was born in San Francisco on December 26, 1924, to Harry and Gwendolyn Rogers, and grew up in Glendale with his much-loved younger sister Gwennie. Lifelong friendships were made as a student at Loyola High School in Los Angeles, which survived through service in World War II and into the twenty-first century as the high school friends continued to meet monthly for lunches and trips to the Santa Anita and Del Mar racetracks. Tom served courageously in World War II in the United States Army in combat operations throughout the Pacific Theatre. Thanks to his experience as a teenager sailing small boats up and down the Southern California coast and his keen interest in all things having to do with the sea, Tom volunteered for General MacArthur's new Army amphibian unit. He was assigned to the Army's 544th Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment of the 4th Special Brigade where he skippered landing craft (LCM) throughout New Guinea and the Philippine Islands, including participation in the first wave of forces to help liberate the Islands from the Japanese. In February 1995, Tom and his Army buddy Jim Bellamy returned to Manila to represent the United States at the Fiftieth Anniversary Commemoration events of the liberation of the Philippines. After returning to civilian life and earning a Bachelor's Degree at Loyola University through the GI Bill, Tom joined millions of other servicemen in realizing the American dream by marrying and starting a family. In 1950 in Santa Barbara, he married Cecile von Rotz, his devoted wife, who was born and raised in Sarnen, Switzerland. While pursuing various business ventures, Tom began his life-long involvement in ranching and political volunteerism. His dedication to the conservation of California's land resources was the bedrock of both his avocations. Since 1960, Tom was active in Orange County politics and served as Chairman of the Orange County Republican Central Committee from 1969 to 1972. In 1972, he was appointed Chairman of Cal Plan, an arm of the Republican State Committee, which had responsibility for all the California State Assembly and Senate races that year, during the Governorship of Ronald Reagan. Tom also held a number of other volunteer political posts, including Chairman of Citizens Against Unfair Taxation (1984) and Citizens for Sensible Growth (1988). In recent years his efforts have been bi-partisan with an emphasis on limiting growth and taxation. He is considered an environmentalist, and was most proud of his successful efforts to help defeat the attempts to build a new commercial airport at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Tom enjoyed cattle ranching, gardening, and writing scholarly articles. He is a former associate editor of The Wanderer, a leading Catholic weekly newspaper, and he self-published Beach Soldiers, a personal history of amphibian warfare in the South Pacific during WWII. In 2000, he also self-published Agents' Orange, a political history of Orange County from 1960 through 2000. He is survived by his loving wife Cecile of San Juan Capistrano; five children: Cecile (Jim) of Arlington, VA; Tom (Grace) of Mission Viejo, CA; Tina of Honolulu, HI; Harry (Pauline) of Greenville, CA; Helen (Bob) of Mission Viejo, CA; and ten grandchildren. Tom was pre-deceased by his parents and sister, as well as by his grandson, Paul. A funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, April 20, 2006, in the Mission San Juan Capistrano Basilica, 31520 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Mission Parish School, 31641 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 or to Great Park Conservancy, in memory of Tom Rogers for Veterans' Memorial, 1254 Irvine Blvd. #230, Tustin, CA 92780. Saddleback Mortuary in Tustin is in charge of arrangements.