Roger T Egan

Roger Thad Egan passed peacefully away on December 16, 2025, in Prescott AZ after a long and hard-fought battle with dementia.

Roger was born on December 31, 1945, in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in Old Greenwich, CT., where he was very active in Boy Scouts, eventually becoming an Eagle Scout with a distinguished Order of Arrow.

He received a B.S. in Geology from Middlebury College in VT and went on to receive an M.S. in Geology & Mining Engineering from University of Montana. While working on his PhD at University of Montana, he was drafted into the Army and served multiple tours in Vietnam.

Roger’s great love for the outdoors and specifically for the western mountains started at age 13 when he spent a month working as a ranch hand at a Colorado dude ranch. On summer breaks from school, he built trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and worked 2 years for the U.S. Forest Service in West Yellowstone Montana.

After a short stint as a college professor, Roger began a long career in the hospitality industry – managing, consulting, building and owning restaurants, sports bars and night clubs throughout the West and Southwest, most notably three McDuffy’s Sports Bars and The Bash on Ash nightclub in AZ; Grumpy’s in Ketchum ID and Mammoth Lakes CA; and Roget’s in Mammoth Lakes CA. Near the end of his career, Roger also owned a small vineyard in Pearce AZ.

Roger served on the Arizona Restaurant Association Board of Directors and was honored to be inducted into the ARA’s Hall of Fame in 1994. He was one of the founders of the Downtown Tempe Community organization and served as an officer and board member from 1993 to 2007.

Roger was an avid snow and water skier, mountain biker and hiker in the mountains of Montana, Idaho and California until injuries and multiple orthopedic surgeries took their toll. He then took up golf and road biking.

After moving to Arizona in 1984, Roger, a confirmed bachelor, met and married the love of his life, Judy, in 1992. They loved hosting large dinner parties and events in their Paradise Valley and Scottsdale homes, many of which included live bands and dance floors. They purchased a second home in Prescott, AZ and eventually moved full time to Prescott.

Roger retired from his various endeavors in 2010 after an exciting and fulfilling career. In retirement, Roger and Judy took many road trips across the United States, seeing new places, visiting long-time friends, and playing a lot of golf.

Roger had a vibrant personality and lived a bold, adventurous life. He worked hard, played hard, loved deeply and cherished the life-long friendships he built up and maintained throughout the years. His keen sense of humor, big laughs, stories and bear hugs will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Roger is survived by his wife Judy; his stepdaughter Lisa Black (husband Doug) and their children Hailey and Jake; his sister Martha Gibeaut and her children Seth Gibeaut and Leah Nielsen and their spouses and children; and his cousin John Smith.

Roger’s family is so thankful for the compassion and loving care he received in his final days from Circle of Life Alzheimer’s Homes and Compassus Hospice that enabled him to be free of pain and at peace.

Private celebrations of Roger’s extraordinary life will be held in Arizona and Idaho in the coming months.