Dallas Rogers

Dallas Rogers was an amazing wife, mother and grandmother who, through her commitment to her family, redefines the concept of unconditional love. She had a full, caring heart, and everyone who spent time with her felt the warmth of her presence. With the end of the Great War, the year 1919 marked a time of change in American history, as young men returned home from Europe to start their families amidst a booming post-war economy. Carl Erickson and his wife, Alfreda (Johnson), of Muskegon, Michigan, were among the many expecting parents, and on April 3, 1919, they were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Dallas Lydia. The youngest of three girls, Dallas grew up in the company of her two older sisters, Dorein and Evelyn. Tragically, their father died when Dallas was only seven, leaving their mother to raise the girls alone. Her sisters were both teenagers by this time, and had jobs to help support their family. Unfortunately, Alfreda suffered with health problems most of her life, and all three girls took tender care of their mother for the rest of her life. Like many young girls of the time, Dallas attended school through the eleventh grade, then left to take care of things at home as well as clean houses for extra income. She later got a job as a switchboard operator at Brunswick, where her sister, Dorein, also worked. As fate would have it, Dallas met her future husband, Paul Rogers, while she was cleaning the Pugh house and he was delivering their groceries. Paul wasted no time in asking her to go roller-skating with him, but admitted he wasn't a very good skater. But Dallas soon found out he was pulling her leg because they got separated at the roller rink and through the crowd she saw him doing fancy spins and stunts on the floor. No matter, it was in this moment that Dallas fell head over heels for him, and they became romantically involved. Paul and Dallas were happily married on August 23, 1940, and were blessed with three beautiful daughters: Sharon (1942), Nancy (1947) and Sandra (1949). Shortly after marrying, Paul enlisted in the U.S. Navy and bravely served during World War II. After the war, he returned home to his family, and went to work at Continental Motors. Dallas didn't work after the girls arrived, wanting to devote herself to raising them well. They lived in a family oriented neighborhood in Sherman Manor in Muskegon, where there were lots of children for her girls to play with. In 1960, the family moved to a house on Lake Harbor Road, which had a garage that they turned into a three seasons room. They spent many days enjoying the scenery and breezes in this room. From a young age, Dallas knew how to be a caregiver, so when her daughter, Sharon, was diagnosed with Chorea, a form of Huntington's disease, at the age of fourteen, she naturally took care of all her needs in the comfort of their home for the next seven years. Sharon died in 1964, leaving Dallas heartbroken, but with the love of her family, she carried on. In fact, shortly after Sharon's death, they took in a relative's daughter and Dallas cared and nurtured her along with her own daughters. Dallas had a heart bigger than Texas and it was always full of love and compassion for everyone around her. This was especially true when it came to her grandchildren, whom she adored and loved dearly. Through the years, Dallas was very close with her sisters too, and they enjoyed spending time with each other when possible. In her leisure time, Dallas enjoyed several activities, including playing cards with a group of lady friends and bowling with her husband, Paul. They played on several leagues together, and loved to travel around to attend bowling tournaments. They both were also big Detroit Tiger's fans and watched the games on TV. Dallas loved pretty things, like flowers, and Paul loved surprising her with some on occasion. The couple enjoyed spending some time in Traverse City during the summer, which was Dallas's favorite vacationing spot. She liked going out to dinner for the holidays, but enjoyed cooking for her family during the week. For her listening pleasure, Dallas liked Christian music, and was a huge fan of Elvis Presley, especially his gospel songs. She and Paul were longtime members of the Forest Park Covenant Church, and enjoyed being part of the "Pot Luck Bunch." Sadly, Dallas lost her beloved husband Paul in 2004, after 64 wonderful years of marriage. Through her warmth and unending generosity, Dallas Rogers exemplified all the wonderful things that a wife, mother and grandmother should be. She will be deeply missed. Dallas Lydia Rogers, age 88, died on Thursday, May 24, 2007. She is survived by her 2 daughters, Nancy Youngblood of Ann Arbor, and Sandra Rogers of Spring Lake; 4 grandchildren: Michelle (Dale) Rogers, Melissa (Chris) Harmon, Bradley (Michelle) Schaab, and Emily Rogers; 10 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Dorein Paxson of Indiana. Dallas was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Rogers, her daughter, Sharon Rogers, and her sister, Evelyn Paxson. Services for Dallas will be held on Saturday, May 26, at 1:00 p.m. at Clock Chapel with Pastor Paul Bengston officiating. Interment at Lakeside Cemetery. A time of visitation is set aside on Saturday, 1 hour prior to the service at Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Muskegon. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory of Dallas or sign her online guest book. Memorial contributions may be made to the Forest Park Covenant Church or Alzheimer's Association.