Remembering Rodger

---

On Saturday I got an email from the eldest son of a old friend saying that my old friend Rodger had passed away that morning. It is hard to put my thoughts and emotions together well enough to share a few memories but here goes.

I first met Rodger in 1976 and we quickly realized that we were two different people that were cut from the same cloth. He and I were both Christians and loved the bible so much. My earliest memories of our times together involved discussing the scriptures and finding how much we had in common. Rodger was a Southern Baptist and I was a Pentecostal but we both shared such a love for the Lord. Even still, we had a running joke about his love for the King James Bible - don't think I will ever be able to read that translation and not think of him.

In 1977 Rodger started a weekly bible study at work that would span the next ten years. One of our running jokes with each other was how long it took us to read and study the book of Romans together - it took our group over a year to go through it one verse at a time.. we naively thought it might take a few months. Over the years our bible study would read and discuss many books in this fashion.

In the early years our families would occasionally get together but as the years progressed our times were mainly spent sharing fellowship over lunch with each other. Our times were so rich as we shared deeply about our joys and struggles. When my wife Ellen had a heart attack, and my life fell apart, Rodger always seemed to know the right things to say. His prayerful strength seemed to uphold me at times. I remember the day when he visited me after Ellen died and we sat on my deck - the world seemed okay because my friend was there. Rodger had that affect on me.

In 1995 Rodger did a scripture reading at my wedding to Ann - it meant so much to me because of our shared loved of the bible. When I retired from AT&T in 1998 we kept in contact and would still share lunch with each other. His wife Cathey died in January, 2000 and it seemed that once again we shared a grief together. I guess that is a strong message that I will always remember when I think of Rodger - how God uses another to strengthen and encourage you in your darkest hours.

I am not sure how to end.. maybe just to ask that you would say a prayer for Rodger's family and for his many friends like me. And join me in giving thanks for his life.

---