Mitzi Connors

MITZI CONNORS
April 23, 1935 - January 20, 2021

Mitzi Kay McWhorter Connors, dearly beloved wife, mother and minister, was born in Skiatook, Oklahoma to Fred and Helen, and later moved with her family to Kansas City, MO and eventually, as an emancipated minor, to New York City. She studied at the High School of Performing arts and then the Neighborhood Playhouse under Sanford Meisner and Martha Graham. She went on to work in many productions in summer stock and Off Broadway, most notably as Cora in Leave it to Jane at the Sheridan Theatre in 1959.

Mitzi married actor Wayne Rogers in 1960 and moved with him to California. Shortly after their marriage, she suffered a catastrophic car accident in which she became paralyzed on most of her right side. Her discipline (honed as a dancer) and her faith in God gave her the strength and stamina to learn how to walk, write and speak again and, eventually, raise two children, Laura and William (Bill) Rogers. Mitzi and Wayne divorced in 1983. She then pursued her lifelong passion for theology and attended graduate school at Fuller Theological Seminary, earning her Master of Arts in Theology degree in 1986 and then began her work at Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church. She was a vital part of the BHPC community and cherished her time and the dear friends that she made there.

She married Gerald Connors in 1989 whom she was with until her death. Together they found shared meaning in their work with Kairos Prison Ministry. Mitzi and Gerry loved to travel together and could often be found traversing the country as they visited various national parks and spent time visiting friends. She was passionate in her work for the Lord, traveling with Gerry, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Her light, love and gentle soul will be dearly missed. Her strength of character, kindness, and fierce determination to achieve her goals despite enormous personal difficulty was, and always will be, inspiration to those whose lives she touched.

She is survived by her husband Gerry, her son Bill Rogers, his wife Markita and grandchildren William and Anais, by her daughter Laura Rogers, Laura's husband Brandon Camp and grandchildren Xander and Daniel Bienstock and by her nieces, Cheryl Clark and Catherine Clark Gaines and her nephew Kevin Clark.