George W. Rogers

1917 - 2010

Longtime Juneau resident, father of six adopted children, and well-known economist George W. Rogers, Ph.D., died on Oct. 3, 2010, at the age of 93, after several years of declining health.
George dedicated his life to Alaska, his community, and his family. He retired several times from economics, each time being enticed back with new projects he strongly believed would benefit Alaska. He worked on special projects well into his 80s. The Alaska state flag was flown at half-mast in his honor on Oct. 6, 2010.
Born on April 15, 1917, to Mary Jane (May) Smith (Australian) and George Thomas Rogers ("Tom") (Welsh), he was raised in San Francisco in the Potrero district.
George received his education in economics at the University of California at Berkeley and Harvard University. It was at Berkeley that he met his wife Jean, in 1941. George and Jean were married on Nov. 27, 1942.
The Rogers arrived in Juneau in 1945, when the U.S. Office of Price Administration sent George to Alaska to help roll back unregulated raw fish prices. World War II terminated this impossible task. He went on to serve as an adviser to a number of territorial governors. First among them was Ernest Gruening, followed by Frank Heintzleman, who championed the development of a wood pulp industry in Southeast.
In 1948, George and Jean purchased a two-room miner's cabin and moved it onto the Evergreen Avenue property that became the family home. As each child was adopted, George designed and built additions to the cabin until it became a five-bedroom, two-bath home. The original house burned in 2000, destroying a completed manuscript of George's memoirs, which he was not able to re-create before his health started to decline. In 2001, George designed and had built the current family home, which stands on the original property.
George Rogers was instrumental in guiding Alaska to statehood, serving in 1955-56 as consultant to the Alaska Constitutional Convention and managing it when the convention secretary, Tom Stewart, was absent.
In 1960-61, Dr. Rogers was a Carnegie Visiting Fellow and professor for the Department of Economics at the University of Alaska, College, Alaska.
In 1961, soon after Alaska became a state, Dr. Rogers and two colleagues persuaded the state Legislature to establish an institute at the University of Alaska to undertake research and provide information on Alaska's economy, business, demography and other topics. He was the guiding light and inspiration for the faculty and staff of what is now known as the Institute of Social and Economic Research. In recognition of his decades of contribution to the institute and the state, ISER is dedicating the celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2011 to George Rogers.
Dr. Rogers' cutting-edge professional career covered a wide range of Alaska topics, including fisheries, timber, oil and the Alaska Permanent Fund, to name a few, as well as circumpolar research. He wrote seven books on Alaska policy and economics, several ultimately becoming used as educational textbooks. His books include "Alaska in Transition," "The Future of Alaska," and "Change in Alaska." Many of his observations about Alaska's people, economy and politics stand true to this day.
Internationally, Dr. Rogers worked with the Arctic Institute of North America, the Sorbonne in Paris, and Cambridge University in England; he also served as special adviser to the Canadian Privy Council.
In his home community, Dr. Rogers was a member of the Juneau Rotary and the city and borough of Juneau Assembly (before and after statehood). He was also on committees for 25 Alaska programs dealing with fisheries, timber, statehood and mental health issues, among others.
Dr. Rogers received numerous prestigious awards and honors between 1949 and 2007.
Aside from his vast professional career and the legacies he leaves behind, George enjoyed the performing arts - acting and dramaturgy and choral singing. He enjoyed classical music, opera, Scottish music - especially bagpipes - and trains.
His family was the most important thing in his life and he worked tirelessly to provide well for them. He was an avid reader from an early age, thanks to an uncle. He was an accomplished pen and ink sketcher, and he always had pen and ink handy to capture memorable sights as he and Jean traveled. He loved architecture - and that can be seen in his design of the Zach Gordon Youth Center building in Juneau and the two Rogers' family homes.
He will be remembered as a caring, humble, contributing, and heart-felt man who always had kind words for others, who felt training and educating others was more important than taking credit for himself, and who had a quick wit and a twinkle in his eye.
George is survived by his wife of 68 years, Jean C. Rogers, and their children: daughter, Shelley Thissen of Kodiak; son Geoffrey Rogers (wife Diane) of Port Angeles, Wash.; daughter Sidney Fadaoff (husband Joseph) of Juneau; daughter Sabrina Rogers of Juneau; and son Garth Rogers of Juneau; 11 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law in San Mateo, Calif.; brother-in-law in Phoenix; numerous nieces and nephews; and several extended family members.
George was preceded in death by son, Gavin Rogers; brothers, Richard and Lloyd Rogers; and parents, Mary Jane (May) and George Thomas Rogers.
A Celebration of his Life is set for 1-4 p.m. May 1, 2011, at Centennial Hall in Juneau. The public is invited. Honorary pallbearers are Vic Fischer, Hugh and Janet Gellert, Todd and Doreen Merrell, Dr. Sarah Isto and Gordon Harrison, Lois and Marshall Lind, Larry and Sherry Olson, Charlie Ellis, Anita Maynard-Losh and Toby Clark, Judy and Jay Crondahl, Rie Munoz, Ruth Pedersen, Effie Kimball and Mike Kirk.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Hospice and Home Care of Juneau, 419 Sixth St., Juneau, AK 99801 or any Juneau performing arts organization of your choice.
The family may be contacted at 1790 Evergreen Ave., Juneau, AK 99801.