ROGERS, JR., John John Ellsworth Rogers, Jr., 74, died peacefully Saturday, August 6,at Hospice Savannah after a long battle with cancer. Mr. Rogers, a 1957 graduate of the University of South Carolina, was a civil engineer for more than 40 years.The son of the late Col. John E. Rogers and Ammie Buchanan Rogers, hewas born on January 23, 1931, in Charleston, South Carolina. Rogers spent his childhood in Charleston, S.C. and became a Citadel cadet and football letterman for two yearsprior tocompleting his engineering studies at the University of South Carolina. As a professional registered engineer,he was highly respected in his field. After serving in the U.S. Army in Korea in the early 1950s, his engineering expertise eventually led to a 15-year tenure as chief of a major Army Command Construction and Environmental Office for the U.S. Department of Defense where he spearheaded multiple high priority and classified projects throughout the world. At the U.S. Army’s Ballistic Missile Systems Command Range in Huntsville, Alabama, he supervised more than $500 million in construction projects. He led site survey teams on various expeditions to determine locations fornew missile ranges at Guam, Saipan, and the Marshall Islands in the 1970s. Those expeditions led to othersimilar classified projects in Alaska inthe 1980s. Rogersbecame one of the U.S. Army’s top expert advisers and consultants for construction activities. He testified before Congressional Committees on defense-related topics and was the recipient of numerous letters of commendation and outstanding performance awards from the U.S. Department of Defense.He retired from the Army in 1989 and continued consulting independently forpublic and private firms. Rogers was an avid community volunteer in Savannah and on Tybee Island, where he lived for several years. He served as a volunteer for the Tybee Island Lighthouse Museum; the Savannah Airport Commission’s Ambassadors, and was a member of St. Francis of the Islands Episcopal Church and the Rotary Club of Kingstree, S.C. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ann Edwards Rogers; a brother, Andrew Buchanan Rogers of Charleston, S.C.; two daughters, Georgia Rogers Byrd of Savannah and Jane Rogers Downey of Louisville, KY; sons-in-law, Joseph D. Byrd and Steven T. Downey; four grandchildren; Ammie RogersAkin of Birmingham, AL; Bertram M. Whit Whitley, III of Savannah; Georgia Ann and Scooter Downey of Louisville; a nephew and three nieces. A memorial service will be held Tuesday at noon, St. Francis of the Islands Episcopal Church, 590 Walthour Road. A reception will follow in the church social hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Hospice Savannah (P.O Box 13190, Savannah, GA 31416), Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (P.O. Box 750, NY, NY 100131), and St. Francis of the Islands Endowment Fund (590 Walthour Road, Savannah, GA 31410). Visit our guestbook at www.charleston.net/deaths. Published in the Charleston Post & Courier on 8/8/2005.
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