John Franklin Vogler

GREENSBORO — Mr. John Franklin Vogler passed away on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be held at 12 p.m. on Friday, May 13 at Forbis & Dick, Pleasant Garden Chapel with Pastor Fred Beck officiating. A private burial will follow at Skyline Memory Garden in Mount Airy.

Mr. Vogler was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina on July 30, 1930 to John William and Jessie McKinney Vogler. After graduating from Mt. Airy High School, Mr. Vogler served four years in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. After training, he was deployed to the island of Adak in the Aleutian Islands as part of the AF Security Service activities; most of his remaining service was spent as a communications equipment instructor at Keesler AFB. He graduated from North Carolina State University's College of Engineering in 1958 with high honors. While there, he received a scholarship for scholastic achievement, participated in the engineering honors program, and was inducted into the engineering honor societies of Tau Beta Pi, Pi Tau Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi.

Upon graduation, Mr. Vogler joined Bell Telephone Laboratories in Winston Salem as Member of Technical Staff and participated in the design and development of a variety of military systems. He designed and developed several feedback control tracking systems for the military and taught courses in that field at Bell Labs. Prior to his promotion to engineering supervisor in 1964, he received a patent for an electrical circuit to capture and track pulse radar returns. Mr. Vogler continued to work military projects after moving to Guilford Center in 1970. In the mid 70's his interests turned to providing technical support for the Bell System's operating companies.

He was transferred to Bell Laboratories, New Jersey, in 1977 to work on modernizing the Bell System's telephone operations. Under the court mandated divestiture of the Bell System in 1984, he transferred to a newly created corporation, Bell Communications Research (Bellcore), where he received the "Bellcore's Best" award in 1986 for his role in developing an exchange plant operations systems migration plan for the seven regional Bell Operating Companies. He retired from Bellcore in 1990 and returned to his beloved North Carolina. He has reflected many times on the fine and talented people that were his co-workers and friends.

Mr. Vogler was a person of many interests and skills which contributed to his full life. During his high school years, he taught himself to play the mandolin and guitar, and performed daily as a member of the "Green Valley Boys" on Mt. Airy radio station WPAQ from 1948-50. His most recent musical endeavor was that of acoustic bass player for the Community in Christ Presbyterian Church's special music programs. Music was always central to his family gatherings that he loved dearly; being a grandfather and transferring the gift of music to his grandchildren was an especially enjoyable role.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Charles, Ben and William (Sparky) Vogler.

Survivors include his loving wife of 57 years, Eva; three daughters, Joan Compton of Greensboro, Saysha Ryan and Mari Sullivan, both of Raleigh; six grandchildren, Aaron and Hannah Compton, Bree and Nicole Ryan, Aila and Lily Sullivan; brothers, Ronnie Vogler and Bobby Vogler of Mt. Airy; five sisters, Jackie Shelton of Mt. Airy, Betty Houston of Charlotte, Peggy Sutphin of Grandbury, Texas, Patsy Paul of Winston Salem, and Gayle Riggs of Charlotte.

The family will receive friends and family one hour prior to the service on Friday.

Heartfelt thanks to Dr. Peter Rubin, Chris Scherer and all the wonderful nursing staff at the Greensboro Regional Cancer Center, Moses Cone.

Memorials may be made to the Office of Fund Development at MCHS, 1200 N. Elm St., Greensboro, NC 27401 or to Community in Christ Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC 27406.

Offer online condolences at www.forbisanddick.com

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