Bobbie Lewis Rodgers

Bobbie was born September 26, 1938 in Plain Dealing, LA to the proud parents Mary D and John C Lewis. She accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Saint Mary Baptist Church. Bobbie graduated from Carrie Martin High School in 1955 and completed her undergraduate studies at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. She received her graduate degree from the University of San Francisco. In 1960 Bobbie became the first female counselor at Westminster Neighborhood Association in Watts where she implemented social service activities for youth and their families in the various housing projects. In 1968 Bobbie went to work at Job Corps for Girls in downtown Los Angeles as a resident counselor. Two years later she was appointed to the position of counselor at USC, in the Student Services division. Her first assignment at USC was to develop a program to recruit and retain minority students. She also served as an Assistant Dean of Admission and Co-Director of Black Student Services at USC. Her final place of employment was California State University Long Beach as an Educational Counselor. Bobbie was known on a national, state and local level for her tireless efforts to increase the number of African American and Hispanic students at colleges and universities throughout Southern California. She was recognized for her efforts by being appointed to a National Education Task Force by Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Bobbie's parents and a brother Benny Joe preceded her death. She is survived by her husband of fifty-four years Lawrence Rodgers, son Marc, grandchildren Marc and Maya, stepdaughter Sandy, sisters Betty, Shelby and Dorothy, brothers John, George and Jesse, brother in-law Kurt, sister in-laws Barbara, Flora, Gloria and Deborah, and a host nieces, nephews and cousins.