Obituary of Theodore M. Rogers

Theodore Martin Rogers, Jr, (Ted/Bud) passed away on Tuesday, January 15, 2019. He was 88 years old. Nicknamed Buddy after a popular film star of the 1920s and also known to his friends as Ted, he was born on May 18, 1930, in Corpus Christi Parish in the Paradise section of Philadelphia (29^th and Allegheny). He was the son of the late Theodore Martin Rogers, Sr, formerly of Millsboro, Delaware, and Anne Attracta (nee Tarpey) Rogers, formerly of Clooncous, County Mayo, Ireland. He was the beloved husband of 58 years to Mary Jane (nee Bradley), and loving father to 4 wonderful (his words) daughters, Mary Eileen Manion (Joe), Maureen Cella (Rob), Anne Hill (Don), and Katie Rogers. He was the doting grandfather to Joseph, Caroline, Aileen, Martin, Daniel, Bradley, Claire, Ryan, and Elizabeth. He is predeceased by his sister Mary Ellen and her husband John Dronson, his sister Nancy and her husband Jim Elsasser, and his brother Tom. He is survived by his sister-in-law Evelyn Rogers and many treasured nieces and nephews.

Ted started school at Corpus Christi grade school, and attended LaSalle College High School where he lettered in bowling, graduating in 1948. After graduation, he enlisted in the US Air Force (1951-1955) serving in Mississippi, Texas, and Okinawa during the Korean War and getting his first taste for travel. Returning stateside, he worked as a salesman with the Edward K. Tryon toy company, cementing his role as favorite uncle, while attending night school at LaSalle College from which he graduated in 1961.

He worked his way up through the US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division to become the Area Director before retiring at 65. Not one to leave his mind idle, he soon picked up part time jobs monitoring medical examinations, working at the county courthouse, serving as a US census taker, and even graduating from the Whitemarsh Township’s Citizen’s Police Academy.

He struck gold in November 1956, when he met Mary Jane Bradley. After a June 1960 wedding at St. Athanasius in West Oak Lane, they lived briefly in Dover, Delaware before moving to the Lafayette Hill area and St. Philip Neri parish, where they began their family. Ted’s days playing basketball with the boys were now happily spent raising four daughters, coaching softball, landscaping his yard, and planning the next road trip in the family station wagon. His Irish heritage being deeply important to him, he encouraged the whole family to participate in Irish dance lessons, amassed an impressive collection of Irish literature, and was heavily involved in and served as former president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Mayo Society.

Ted will forever be remembered for his love of reading (and correcting grammar), his trademark green pens, his sweet tooth, and his love for his family. He was a great husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend to many and will be deeply missed.

Donations can be made in his honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, Jan 19 at 11:00 AM at Saint Philip Neri Church 437 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill.

A Visitation will be held on Saturday, Jan 19 from 9:30 to 11:00 AM at the church before the service.

Interment will be held privately.