Robert Peck Rogers

1934 - 2017

Robert Peck Rogers

Bob was born on March 28, 1934 in Portland, Oregon. He passed peacefully in his sleep July 9, 2017 next to his beloved wife Jennie in their home in Edmonds, WA.

Bob was born to James and Virginia (Peck) Rogers and has one younger brother, Jim. The family moved to Seattle in 1941. Bob graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1951, and graduated from the University of Washington in 1955. He joined the army in 1956 and served 2 years at Fort Lawton in Seattle. He married Sylvia Howick in 1958 and they have 2 children, Jeff and Julie. He and Sylvia divorced in 1982, and he married Jennie in 1986, gaining an additional three children: Kim, Ken and Keith.

In 1958, Bob joined Aetna beginning his long career as an Employee Benefit Consultant/Broker. He left Aetna in 1972 to start his own business and retired in 2000.

Rowing was a large part of Bob's life. He made varsity crew in his senior year at the UW. After college he and several other rowing friends formed Lake Washington Rowing Club and rowed competitively, aiming for the Olympics. They missed in 1956, but he and lifetime friend Ted Frost, rowed a pair without coxswain and won nearly all of their events. They won the Gold Medal in the 1959 Pan American games but took fifth place in the 1960 Olympics in Rome. It was one of Bob's greatest disappointments. However, he always used a quote one of his coaches told him after the last race: "It's not what you do when you win big, but what you do when you lose big that counts." He used that quote often throughout his life.

Bob was physically active all his life. He did take a 20-year hiatus from rowing, but he was never idle, jogging instead of rowing. He was an avid skier, loved boating, biking, hiking (he climbed Mt Rainier twice, Mt Adams and Mt Hood). Around 1980 he returned to rowing, occasionally in a pair with John Mills or Ted McCagg and then competed in many masters tournaments in a "4 without" and they named their crew TORA - Tangled Oar Rowing Association.

After retiring, he and Jennie had a condo in Palm Springs for 10 years where they spent the winters as "snowbirds". Bob was active in the Shoreline Breakfast Rotary Club and started playing tuba in several community bands both at home and in Palm Springs. He also volunteered at the local Westgate Elementary School assisting with the 5th and 6th grade bands which he loved. One of his favorite volunteer activities was as a docent at the Historic Flight Museum in Mukilteo.

Bob is survived by his wife of 31 years Jennie, children: Jeff (Amy) Rogers, Julie (Steve) Secrist, Kim (Harrold) Beba, Ken (Terri) Inglis and Keith (Chelsea) Inglis. His brother, Jim (Nina) Rogers. Grandchildren: Lauren, Adyson and Camryn Rogers, Eric (Taylre), Spencer (Brittany), and Michael Secrist, Kelly Dunlap, Anna (Scott) Born, Patrick (Krissy) Inglis, Jasmine (Isaac) Benton and Courtney Hottowe. And 4 great grandchildren: Riley Joy Secrist, Mason and Charlie-Anna Inglis, and Allissa Dunn.

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