Warren C Rodgers

Warren C. Rodgers

     Warren C. Rodgers, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away peacefully at his home in Lorain, Ohio, February 25, 2018 following a long and truly consequential life.

     Warren was born May 9, 1929 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Reba (Devison) and David C. Rodgers.
     
     Young Warren was a Boy Scout, boxer who mentored the younger boys, lifeguard, and fisherman. He was an earnest student (and leatherhead) who put himself through West Liberty State College on a football scholarship by working summers in a coal mine and driving a truck for Mail Pouch tobacco.

     Warren won the heart of his favorite fellow student and future wife, Jean Caldwell, on their first date by saying ""Stick with me kid, and you'll have adventure."" Jean Caldwell and Warren were married for 67 years. They lived in the charming village of Morfelden while Warren served in the U.S. Army, attached to the 862 Air Force ENGR Battalion at Rhein-Main Air Force Base in Frankfurt, Germany.

     Upon return to the States aboard transport ship the General Maurice Rose with their 6-week-old daughter in a wicker basket, they lived near Lakeview Park as Warren had lined up a teaching job at Lorain High School. Lorain was booming and needed teachers. His 1957 direction of Thornton Wilder's ""Our Town"" established his chops as a drama teacher. After earning a master's degree in English from Case Western Reserve, he taught poetry and composition to generations of students at Lorain County Community College for nearly 20 years. There, Warren adopted the trademark green felt-tip pen that he used to grade papers (think chlorophyll). Led by John Barter he also served as volunteer technical writer and advisor to the newly forming Teachers' Credit Union.

     Warren transported his growing family in a red '66 Volkswagen microbus on adventures that included Christmas break in the Florida Keys, canoeing at Mohican State Park and through the Boundary Waters, hiking the Appalachian Trail, and some whole summers on Fish Creek near remote Cameron, West Virginia. They traveled to historical exhibits in Gettysburg, Washington D.C. and Greenfield Village and to many musical performances in Oberlin.

     Warren took pictures of all this on his trusty German camera. Friends received many pictures he made of them. Warren & Jean were often drafted to be the ""adult advisors"" of whatever club or enterprise captured the imagination of their children: Explorer Post 395, Golden Crescent Teens Square Dance Club and white-knuckled driving instruction.

     In retirement, Warren kept active in VFW and American Legion activities. He enjoyed having a few beers with his buddies while watching Pittsburgh Steeler games and rooting for Army to beat Navy.

     Warren had a ""full circle"" experience recently when he viewed the French Creek Theater production of ""Our Town"" with his director's eye. He was also well enough to attend the Lorain International Festival last summer, where he enjoyed chicken paprikash and granddaughter Gina's Highland Fling on the festival stage.

     He was a patron of the Rose Garden at Lakeview Park and would like to be remembered when you're there.

     Warren Rodgers is survived by his wife of 67 years, Eleanor ""Jean"" Rodgers (nee Caldwell); daughters, Vicki (Michael) Rodgers-Sonsalla of Yakima, WA, and Elizabeth (Mark) Debow, of Charlottesville, VA; sons, Kevin Rodgers and Mark (Tracy) Rodgers of Lorain; grandchildren, Gina Rodgers, Nicholas Rodgers, Michael Rodgers, Samuel Rodgers; 5 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Florence Hunt of Flower Mound, Texas.

     In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brother, D. Charles Rodgers; and sisters, Virginia Beegle and Selene Buffington.

     Visitation will be on Sunday, March 18th from 3 to 7 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m. at Celebration of Life in Lorain at Boyer & Cool Home For Funerals, 1124 W. 5th Street, Lorain, 44052.

     Graveside Service on Monday, March 19th 10:30 a.m. in the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, 10175 Rawiga Road, Seville, 44273.

 Gathering afterwards at Lorain VFW Post #451.

In lieu of flowers, these organizations are worthy of consideration:
1. Boy Scouts http://councils.scouting.org/Council 440/Donate,
2. Scholarships LCCC Foundation, 1005 North Abbe Rd., Rm CC220, Elyria, OH 44035 in memory of W.C. Rodgers. Note on check: ""LCCC need-based scholarships"" or www.lcccfoundation.org ""make a gift"",

Veterans' Organizations:
3. VFW Post 451, 4562 Oberlin Ave, Lorain, OH 44053 Ph 440-282-4973 or American Legion Post 30, 1112 W. Erie Ave., Lorain, OH 44052 Ph 440-244-0333
4. St. Elizabeth Homeless Shelter -- Lorain http://ccdocle.org/facility/stelizabethcenter

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Warren C Rodgers, please visit our floral store.