Dortha (Anderson) Rogers

Dortha Rogers loved life. At 97 she continued to find something to look forward to and anticipate in each new day. She truly just loved her life! When you approach each day with that attitude, interesting things are bound to happen and hers was an extraordinary ordinary life. She was born on Friday the 13th day of March, 1925, the eldest child of Bob and Nola Mae Anderson. Their family later grew to include her brother, Bobby Ray and sister, Jerry. Times were hard but they sure were good. She graduated as the Valedictorian of the Vian High School Class of 1942. War was in the air in those days and Saturday nights were often spent riding with a group of kids in the back of Jim Haraway’s big stock truck to The Officer’s Club at Camp Gruber for an evening of dancing under the stars. She enrolled at Connors State College—one of six women who lived on campus. The rest of the student body was made up of 200 air force men—an interesting time to be a coed at Connors! She would want us to say there were strict chaperones at all times! To do her part in the war effort Dortha soon headed to California to work in a shipyard—a real life Rosie the Riveter. Living in an apartment and working in the war effort were big adventures for a young girl from Vian! After the war, Dortha returned home to work in the Vian Post Office. The soldier boys were making their way home as well and one of them, Jimmie D Rogers, caught her eye and the rest is history. They were married January 24th, 1948, in Ft Smith and spent their honeymoon in Winslow, near Fayetteville, in a winter wonderland of snow. For the rest of her life a snowy day was to be celebrated! Making their home in Vian, Jimmie finished his college degree and Dortha went back to work in the post office—10 years in all. After 5 years of marriage Suzanne was born, followed by Randy almost exactly 3 years later. Three years after that Jimmie Neal came along and the family was complete 9 years later when Jana Jon was born. For the rest of her life her priorities would be her faith, her family, her hometown and fun. On the calendar in her kitchen this week her kids saw this notation for June 25th—“1938 I was born again. Vian Baptist Church”. She taught Sunday School in Vian Baptist over 52 consecutive years, spending countless hours as the leader of the Youth Department and later as a co-teacher with Jimmie of their beloved Mavericks class. Hers was a living faith—guiding her decisions, comforting her heart and challenging her to “preach on” to anyone she could make listen. She walked the hills of Falls Creek with four generations of her family for she had laid a foundation of faith and then proceeded to build a family on it. As her children grew older, married, gave her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she was the tie that bound them together. Family holidays at her beloved Ranch in Cookson were one of the things she most looked forward to and she delighted in watching the generations enjoy the place she and Jimmie provided for them. She was still attending little league games of the great grands at every opportunity this summer—what interested them interested her. She knew what was happening in their lives and looked forward to their accomplishments. She was especially close to her favorite grandchildren—there’s no denying it!—Jake and Brooks Coffee—for 13 years she made their breakfast before school. For the last 3 they’ve been making breakfast for her and she delighted in their mutual devotion. Her hometown, Vian, was another lifelong love. One of the things she was most proud of was her role in fundraising for the Vian Community Foundation by planning traveling adventures for groups of Vian Alumni and Friends. She was honored to be named a Vian Favorite Daughter at the annual 4th of July celebration. She remained actively involved in the Vian community all her days—she never missed a Friday night home game, the walking trail was a passion and she always truly believed Vian was the very best place to live and raise a family. Finally, Dortha Rogers loved having fun. Late nights playing cards with her buddies, vicious games of Spoons at the Ranch with all the grandkids, snowsledding on a car hood—she was always up for a fun adventure. “Beautiful, beautiful” was her favorite description as she admired God’s creation and she admired a lot of it because she really loved to travel! A trip was the best prescription for any illness. She went backpacking in Europe at 85, taking in 4 countries while paying an extra fee to stay in youth hostels due to her age! She visited all 50 states, China, Russia, Tahiti and just about everywhere in between. She built a new house at 90, insisted she need a new car at 95 and asked for her driver’s license back every birthday! As much as she loved life, her final trip was one she was completely prepared for. Dortha Anderson Rogers gently passed into Heaven June 20, 2022. We are confident the last trip was the best and Norway and New Zealand have been replaced on her list as the most beautiful places. She is survived by Dr Pat and Suzanne Sullivan, Randy and Shawna Rogers, Neal and Tyra Rogers and Dr. Logan and Jana Coffee. Her grandchildren are Dr. Ryan and Elizabeth Sullivan, Casey and Lyndsey Sullivan, Dr. Brandon and Raegan King, Levi and Callie Prier, Zac Rogers, Dr. Andre and Haley Ruhlman, Josh and Maggie Shumway, Hayden Coffee, Denver and Amber Coffee, Brooks Coffee and Jake Coffee. Her great grandchildren include Blythe, Zoe, Journey, Jackson and Aiden Sullivan, Cooper, Karson and Konner King, Henry, Stormy and Will Sullivan, Blake, Creede and Lyla Prier, Reynolds and Suede Ruhlman and Callum Shumway as well as a host of nieces and nephews that she cherished. She was preceded in death by her parents Robert and Nola Mae Anderson and her husband, Jimmie D Rogers as well as her siblings Bobby Ray and Faye Anderson and Jerry Mabray.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at Vian Baptist Church in Vian, Oklahoma. Burial will follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Vian, Oklahoma under the direction of Agent Mallory Martin Funeral Service, Inc.

Active Pallbearers will be Neal Rogers, Randy Rogers, Jim Ed Mabray, Bill Anderson, Pat Sullivan, Logan Coffee, Ryan Sullivan, Casey Sullivan, Zac Rogers, Denver Coffee, Jake Coffee, Brooks Coffee, Andre Ruhlman, Josh Shumway and Levi Prier.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Gary Wright, Eric Casey, Barry James, Robbie Ridgeway, Enos Semore, Short Richards, Preston Remer, Dale Haraway, Wesley Jarman, Jim Anderson, Richard Anderson, Gary Barnoskie, David Snow, Joe Paul Simon, Jerry Simon, Jeff Adams, Virgil Coffee, Myron Venable, Johnny Teehee and Richard James Armstrong.

Viewing will be 10 AM – 8 PM Wednesday at Agent Mallory Martin Funeral Home in Sallisaw, OK where the family will greet 6 – 8 PM.