William “Everett” Rogers, 91, passed peacefully into Heaven on Sunday night, April 2, 2023, at Columbus Hospice in Columbus, Georgia. His family had surrounded him with love and comfort by singing hymns, reading scripture and offering prayers as had been his last request.

Everett was born in Mineral Wells, Texas on April 15, 1931. He was the son of William Everett “Shorty” Rogers and Daliah Stewart Rogers and was the oldest of four children. One of his most treasured childhood experiences was that he worked various jobs as a youth at the historic Baker Hotel, a popular destination of the rich and celebrities of the day.

The family later moved to Levelland, Texas where Everett attended Levelland High School. He was known for his natural talent as a baseball pitcher and for his good-humored nature. He accepted the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as a teenager, and became a long time member of Fifth Street Church of Christ where he met the love of his life, Patsy Lee Dresslar of Sundown, Texas. They were married on his 20th birthday and held steadfastly to one another with God at the helm, through 64 years of joys and trials of life.

The following year Everett was drafted and served in the US Army during the Korean War era where he was stationed at Camp Pickett, Virginia and Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

After being honorably discharged from the Army, Everett returned to Levelland and went back to work in the West Texas oil fields where he later retired as Safety Foreman for Amoco Oil Company. He and Patsy bought a home there and began raising a family. He coached his son’s little league baseball team, was in a bowling league, took his family on annual camping trips to the Colorado Rocky Mountains, and became a loving and beloved grandfather. He served his Lord and the church as an Elder at 13th& K Church of Christ. 

Everett and Patsy always loved traveling and after retirement from Amoco traveled to Europe and eventually completed travels by car through 46 states of the USA. During their travels through the hill country of Texas, they came upon Kerrville where they decided to settle in 1987. Later both he and Patsy retired from Kerrville ISD after working at Starkey Elementary where, among other duties, each morning Everett joyfully greeted the students who knew him fondly as “Mr. Rogers” with an encouraging word. Everett and Patsy were active and hospitable long time members of the Riverside Church of Christ and leave many, many cherished memories and beloved friends in Kerrville.

Not long after Patsy’s passing in April of 2015, Everett returned to live in Levelland and remained in the South Plains area until his 90th birthday when he moved to Columbus, Georgia. He spent his final two years on this earth making new friends and being loved and cared for by the kind, delightful caregivers and wonderful staff at Covenant Woods.

He will be sorely missed.

Everett was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife Patsy, their infant daughter Kayla, his younger sister Evelyn Graham, and his younger brothers Marsh Rogers and Jimmie Rogers.

He is survived by his son Ricky Rogers (Judy) of Levelland, Texas and his daughter Sharla Farley (John) of Columbus, Georgia. Six grandchildren lovingly call him “Pawpaw”: Ricky Don Rogers (Julie) of Lubbock, Texas, Robbie Rogers (Melany) of Columbiana, Alabama, Mandi Baker (Kerry) of San Antonio, Texas, Emily Rogers of Denver, Colorado, Kristopher Mitchell (Milica) of Columbus, Georgia and Austin Mitchell (Heidi) of Waverly Hall, Georgia. He is also survived by eleven great grandchildren; Layne, Logan, Reed, Katie, Eli, Stephen, Aleksandar, Nikolas, Ruby, Rush, and Rhet. He leaves behind numerous nephews and nieces, some of whom affectionately know him as “Uncle Son.”

A graveside service is planned in Levelland, Texas at a date yet undetermined.

Upon parting, Everett would often say, “The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee.”  (Numbers 6:24-25)