Theodore Joseph "Ted" Rogenski

1941 - 2025

Theodore "Ted" Joseph Rogenski
03/20/1941 - 03/28/2025
Theodore "Ted" Joseph Rogenski, 84, passed away peacefully at home with his family in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 28, 2025.
An extraordinary husband, father, businessman, and athlete, Ted was born March 20, 1941 in Moline, Illinois. As a young boy, he rowed, fished, and adventured along the banks of the Mississippi River, nurturing the self-reliance and athleticism that formed a foundation for his later accomplishments. The scrawny kid who needed one of the nuns to help him swing a baseball bat in elementary school developed into a charismatic, hard-working, and confident scholar and star athlete. At Alleman High School, Ted was an honor roll student and student body president, Illinois State decathlon champion, and one of the finest fullbacks ever at Alleman, selected for All-Quad City and All-Metropolitan football squads in his junior and senior years. Ted went on to attend the University of Wisconsin at Madison on a football scholarship and worked his way to a starting position with the Badgers his sophomore year. His football career was cut short that season by a severe knee injury that limited him for the rest of his life but never dimmed his competitive drive or love of sports. Neither knew it then, but his future wife was watching the fateful game, rooting for her own Northwestern Wildcats, a Big 10 rival and opponent that day. Ted was inducted into the Alleman Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
Ted went on to complete his education with an MBA from the University of Chicago, taking classes at night while he started his career as a loan officer for American National Bank. The long days took him away from his young family as he worked hard to provide for them, and Ted soon received a critical piece of career advice: a shrewd insurance salesman urged him to consider the nascent field of equipment leasing. Eager for an opportunity that would reward his desire to learn and grow, Ted quickly moved to Greyhound Leasing and began his career in earnest. When he later joined Wells Fargo Leasing in San Francisco, it became his goal to lead the company by age 40. At 39, he was named President and CEO, and he guided the company through a decade of impressive growth. Ted later served as CEO of John Hancock Leasing and Chief Operating Officer of Linc Anthem. An industry luminary, he also served on the Equipment Leasing Association's Board of Directors before retiring in 1996. He never stopped pushing himself to excel, but he had succeeded in providing opportunities for his family he never had.
Though hindered somewhat by his football injuries, Ted's competitive spirit compelled him to continue with sports throughout his life. He took up tennis and golf, competing in tournaments at local clubs and winning several trophies. He also sought adventure through flying as a private pilot, a passion that began early in his life and continued long after he stopped flying. Working at the local airport in exchange for flight time, he had earned his pilot's license even before his driver's license and later explored the country with his family. Following some frightening mechanical issues he traded his wings for slower-paced, if not always safer adventures in a 34-foot sailboat, Tsunami. Mostly he cruised San Francisco Bay with family and friends, but once each year he entered a race to the Farallon Islands, sometimes solo, and sometimes accompanied by one of his teenage sons. They rarely completed the challenging races, but the battles against huge swells, shifting winds and tides in the open ocean remain among the most memorable and thrilling experiences of their lives.
Ted is preceded in death by his parents Felix and Stella; daughter, Kerry and brothers-in-law, Ted and Roy Lagerblade. He is survived by Nancy, his wife of 58 years they were married on July 2, 1966 in Minneapolis, MN; his sisters, JoAnn (Thomas) Maehr and Mary Lagerblade; sons Jeff (Anjani) and Mark (Kari); and grandchildren Mira, Kieran and Sophie. Ted would not be described as humble, or quiet, but neither was he conceited or boastful. At times he even seemed surprised by his own success. But he had a commanding presence that filled a room, and he simply rose to meet it. His passing leaves a unique void that will be felt by all fortunate enough to have crossed his path.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California (https://donate.guidedogs.com); Alleman High School in Rock Island, Illinois (https://www.allemanhighschool.org/support); or the National W Club (https://supportthebadgers.org).
Condolences may be left at www.RaffertyFunerals.com