James Walter Rogers was a remarkable guy. Jim was an intellectual and deep thinker who blossomed well after he left Bishop O'Dowd. Jim attended Molar Barber College immediately following O'Dowd; married in 1965; had two beautiful daughters; wrote poetry; was a charismatic minister to convicts; became a credible golfer; and was a successful businessman, retiring in 2000 as the Snap-on Tools' distributor in Lake Tahoe. Jim was very smart, in so many ways.
Jim was my friend for 46 years. Classmate Dave Cordano dubbed Jim, "The Jimer," and it stuck for life. I sat immediately in front of Jim in Fr. Munoz's freshman algebra class. Led by 'The Furgaz', who became Fr. Munoz's favorite, frosh algebra was a great melting pot and convener of great minds. Soon The Jimer and I were hanging out on the basketball court, bowling alleys, pool halls, softball diamonds, Foster's Freeze, Jerry's Beef Burgers and other venues that invariably attracted the best and the brightest. By our senior year, we carpooled daily to O'Dowd in Jim's bery, bery baaaad '49 Merc sedan. I went on my first date with my future wife, Toni, in the '49 Merc--actually a triple date to the Stadium Drive-in--with Jim, his steady, Judy Wehrman, and another couple.
Several months after the '60 graduation--as Jim was mastering (actually, learning) the art of barbering--he gave me my first shave...with a straight razor, no less! I guess this was an indication of how genuine our friendship was--and my confidence and trust in an aspiring barber who had me by the jugular. Jim and I had countless great times together. Remember the '60 Class reunion in Alameda, in '62? No? Neither do I, but I know a lot of adult beverages were consumed by non-adults. Many of the great times, however, are unmentionable on family radio.
As fun as it was to be with Jim, he had another, far deeper, spiritual side. When our mutual friend and classmate, Mike Donaldson, died from cancer in 1996, Jim consoled me and others with a profound pastor-like wisdom. Sadly, Jim had far too much experience in this most difficult of life's subjects. In the 18 months preceding Mike's death, Jim had had lost his daughter, Jennifer, 28; his first wife, Nancy McCloud Rogers (O'Dowd '63); and his mother, Helen, all to the scourge of cancer. Jim died at UCSF's intensive care unit on April 26, 2003, ironically following removal of a lung rendered useless from cancer.
Two weeks prior to entering the hospital for the final time, Jim and I played golf at a favorite course of his in Sparks, NV. On the 17th green, he 'holed out' a perfect chip shot from a sand trap, laughing in the same infectious, magical way that I remembered from that guy who sat behind me in Fred Munoz' first period algebra class. Jim, "The Jimer", Rogers leaves his wife, Sharon, daughter, Debbie, three grandchildren, a sister, Janet Rogers Pawlowski (O'Dowd '63), two sons-in-law, many other relatives and a multitude of friends, including classmate Dave Cordano.
Jim was another classmate from St. Cyril's. I used to ride to school quite a bit with Jim and others in his comfortable car - when I made it to the pick-up spot on time. I remember you, John, among others (I was his last "pick-up" on the way to O'Dowd - except sometimes Diane Butler joined us last). He was a totally laid-back, mellow guy. Saw him at two re-unions, and he was still the same sweet, easy-to-talk-to guy.
For many years as a young man Jim was a most genial host to friends and classmates at his family’s cabin in Clear Lake where we enjoyed swimming and skiing by day and carousing by night. We did even more of the carousing late Friday and Saturday evenings at his barber shop in East Oakland. He had a remarkable gift all of his life for making people feel at ease in his company which, more often than not, was followed by friendship. Jim did not enjoy classroom study at O’Dowd; yet he was as well or better versed in current events, politics, and sports than most of his fellow students.
As John Heagerty mentioned, Jim suffered through too many grievous losses in his short life, but he never lost the ability to greet old friends with a warm hand shake, a wide smile, and a genuine interest in their lives. His death was a heartfelt loss to us all.
John Heagerty
James Walter Rogers was a remarkable guy. Jim was an intellectual and deep thinker who blossomed well after he left Bishop O'Dowd. Jim attended Molar Barber College immediately following O'Dowd; married in 1965; had two beautiful daughters; wrote poetry; was a charismatic minister to convicts; became a credible golfer; and was a successful businessman, retiring in 2000 as the Snap-on Tools' distributor in Lake Tahoe. Jim was very smart, in so many ways.
Jim was my friend for 46 years. Classmate Dave Cordano dubbed Jim, "The Jimer," and it stuck for life. I sat immediately in front of Jim in Fr. Munoz's freshman algebra class. Led by 'The Furgaz', who became Fr. Munoz's favorite, frosh algebra was a great melting pot and convener of great minds. Soon The Jimer and I were hanging out on the basketball court, bowling alleys, pool halls, softball diamonds, Foster's Freeze, Jerry's Beef Burgers and other venues that invariably attracted the best and the brightest. By our senior year, we carpooled daily to O'Dowd in Jim's bery, bery baaaad '49 Merc sedan. I went on my first date with my future wife, Toni, in the '49 Merc--actually a triple date to the Stadium Drive-in--with Jim, his steady, Judy Wehrman, and another couple.
Several months after the '60 graduation--as Jim was mastering (actually, learning) the art of barbering--he gave me my first shave...with a straight razor, no less! I guess this was an indication of how genuine our friendship was--and my confidence and trust in an aspiring barber who had me by the jugular. Jim and I had countless great times together. Remember the '60 Class reunion in Alameda, in '62? No? Neither do I, but I know a lot of adult beverages were consumed by non-adults. Many of the great times, however, are unmentionable on family radio.
As fun as it was to be with Jim, he had another, far deeper, spiritual side. When our mutual friend and classmate, Mike Donaldson, died from cancer in 1996, Jim consoled me and others with a profound pastor-like wisdom. Sadly, Jim had far too much experience in this most difficult of life's subjects. In the 18 months preceding Mike's death, Jim had had lost his daughter, Jennifer, 28; his first wife, Nancy McCloud Rogers (O'Dowd '63); and his mother, Helen, all to the scourge of cancer. Jim died at UCSF's intensive care unit on April 26, 2003, ironically following removal of a lung rendered useless from cancer.
Two weeks prior to entering the hospital for the final time, Jim and I played golf at a favorite course of his in Sparks, NV. On the 17th green, he 'holed out' a perfect chip shot from a sand trap, laughing in the same infectious, magical way that I remembered from that guy who sat behind me in Fred Munoz' first period algebra class. Jim, "The Jimer", Rogers leaves his wife, Sharon, daughter, Debbie, three grandchildren, a sister, Janet Rogers Pawlowski (O'Dowd '63), two sons-in-law, many other relatives and a multitude of friends, including classmate Dave Cordano.
Joy Parlett (Furtado)
Jim was another classmate from St. Cyril's. I used to ride to school quite a bit with Jim and others in his comfortable car - when I made it to the pick-up spot on time. I remember you, John, among others (I was his last "pick-up" on the way to O'Dowd - except sometimes Diane Butler joined us last).He was a totally laid-back, mellow guy. Saw him at two re-unions, and he was still the same sweet, easy-to-talk-to guy.
John Jurich
For many years as a young man Jim was a most genial host to friends and classmates at his family’s cabin in Clear Lake where we enjoyed swimming and skiing by day and carousing by night. We did even more of the carousing late Friday and Saturday evenings at his barber shop in East Oakland. He had a remarkable gift all of his life for making people feel at ease in his company which, more often than not, was followed by friendship. Jim did not enjoy classroom study at O’Dowd; yet he was as well or better versed in current events, politics, and sports than most of his fellow students.
As John Heagerty mentioned, Jim suffered through too many grievous losses in his short life, but he never lost the ability to greet old friends with a warm hand shake, a wide smile, and a genuine interest in their lives. His death was a heartfelt loss to us all.