John Barker Rogers Iii

1923 - 2018

John Barker Rogers III

Ithaca - John Barker Rogers III known to all as "Jack" was born in Westfield New Jersey, November 28th, 1923. He completed his life November 6th, 2018 at home in Ithaca, New York. He grew up in a close and loving family, with his sister Kayel, mother Beatrice and father Theodore C Rogers. Following in his father's and sister's footsteps, Jack attended Cornell University. After his freshman year, with the onset of WWII, Jack enlisted in the Army in June 1943. He suffered serious injuries, spent a year healing and then served in a VA hospital rehabilitating wounded soldiers before returning to Cornell. In 1947 Jack married his best friend from childhood, Ann Mitchell, also a Cornellian. They had three children, Theodore C., Robin M., and Susan R. Rogers. Despite a physician's prognosis that he would not walk again, he played football and swam for Cornell, earning seven varsity letters. Jack received his degree in Civil Engineering in 1949, coached football while finishing his Master's Degree in the Graduate Business School and later coached the Cornell Sailing team. Declining an offer to play profession football for the Detroit Lions, with his education completed, he and Ann began building their first house in Cayuga Heights. He was inducted into the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988. The same year he sailed in the International North American Star Class Regatta and competed in the NY Empire State Games, medaling in three swimming events. In his professional life he was highly regarded and admired by all with whom he worked. Jack taught in the Engineering School, worked in the Laboratory of Solid State Physics at Cornell and served his community for thirty years as Engineer and Superintendent of Public Works for the Village of Cayuga Heights. After retirement he worked as Project Engineer for new construction at Ithaca College and the University of Rochester. Throughout his life he was a positive, passionate man, an optimist, a believer in the good in everyone, and patient beyond belief. He was a consummate family man, a father beloved by his children, and grandchildren John (Jack) L Rogers, Christopher L. Rogers and John B Rogers IV. He suffered the loss of his youngest and oldest child and his beloved wife Ann of sixty-four years. Jack is survived by his sister, Kayel, daughter Robin, son-in-law John Lambert, his second wife Jean Rogers, her children Gabriel A. Geuder and Jamila B Geuder and their children. He was blessed to have another loving marriage with Jean and welcomed her children and grandchildren as family. He was a passionate athlete, avid sailor, philanthropist and enthusiastic life-long Cornellian. John B. Rogers' legacy is love; He was an honorable and happy man with an enormous heart.

Sunset and evening star And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea.... Tennyson.