Doug Rogers

Naselle, Washington resident Douglas A. Rogers, 79, died September 6, 2007 in Portland, Oregon. The son of Charles and Helen (Rupp) Rogers, he was born December 22, 1927 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He graduated from Waukesha High School and attended the University of Wisconsin. Doug played varsity basketball and was team captain for the Badgers. He received his BS degree in animal husbandry. In the days before the National Basketball Association, Doug was drafted by the Sheboygan Redskins but chose not to play. Instead he moved to Peoria, Illinois and worked for Caterpillar Tractor so he could play for the company basketball team. Moving on be became a cattle buyer for Oscar Mayer Meat Company and then came west. He decided to obtain a degree in food processing at Oregon State University and while visiting in Portland he met and after a brief courtship, married Lois Mahlke in Portland. Following the marriage Doug lived in Wheeling, West Virginia and then Santa Fe, New Mexico where he obtained his teaching degree at St. Michael's College. In 1963 he settled in Naselle where he taught at Naselle High School and also was teacher and counselor at the Naselle Youth Camp. He coached a wide variety of sports for the Comets and in 1989 became varsity volleyball coach. He retired from that position following the 2002 season and currently was volunteer coach for the girl's varsity volleyball team at Ilwaco High School. Doug was an avid reader, enjoyed bowling and golfing, was proud of his garden and his blueberries, and took pride in his many years of coaching. He was a member of the Naselle Lions Club and was a member of Naselle Lutheran Church where he served as church council president. His family will remember him as a kind and gentle man with a wonderful sense of humor. He dearly loved his family and was very close to his grand and great grandchildren. Doug is survived his wife Lois of Naselle; children Roberta Caton of Naselle, Helen Beasley of Centralia, WA, Paula Rogers of Selah, WA and Douglas Rogers Jr. of Sunnyside, WA; brother Francis Rogers of Waukesha, WI; sister Jane Kranich of Tampa, FL; grandchildren Joshua Fournier, Brooke Taufaasau, Rebekah Torppa, Jordanne Beasley, Taylor Beasley, Madison Beasley, Zach Badger, Amanda Badger, Alex Badger, Douglas Rogers III, Delaney Rogers and Robert Campos; great-grandchildren Kaeli Rae, Blythe, Malia and Andrew Taufaasau, Paige, Raylee and Tommy Torppa; and his beloved puppy Ruffles. He was preceded in death by sisters Josephine and Milly. Memorial service will be Saturday, September 15, 2007, 2 PM at Naselle Lutheran Church with a reception following. Memorials may be made to either Naselle Lutheran Church, PO Box 100, Naselle, WA 98638 or the Naselle Lions Club Scholarship fund at Naselle branch of Bank of The Pacific. Arrangements are by Penttila's Chapel by The Sea and the guestbook may be signed at www.penttilaschapel.com.